Chapter 51

Chapter 51
## Chapter 51

### Harley (2)

‘Reflecting on it now, something felt entirely off.’

The Main God Church stood as one of the grandest authorities across the entire continent.

Was it truly logical that they had failed to uncover even a single shard over the span of several centuries?

Granted, the Immortal King was hardly foolish enough to disperse the remnants without implementing intricate restrictions to keep them out of the Church’s grasp.

That explained how the Church had overlooked a pair of them.

Yet, this was the formidable Main God Church.

The notion that they had come up completely empty-handed defied reason.

“Naturally, the Radiance Guardian isn’t stationed to watch the interior. Our duty is strictly to secure the entryways. The higher-ranking officials handle the direct management inside.”

“…Understood. In that case, there was no real necessity to disclose that to me…”

“It’s due to the Blessing of Silence. Besides, we must comprehend exactly what we are safeguarding to protect it with greater vigilance, correct? Wouldn’t you agree, Sir Landguard? Now that the direct lineage of the Immortal King has surfaced, you realize the immense gravity of shielding this final piece.”

He understood it all too well.

Hans, the true heir of the Immortal King, was currently straining his intellect to uncover the whereabouts of that very last shard.

‘Though that particular matter is no longer my concern.’

Instead, a different anxiety began to weigh on him.

Heinrich had experienced firsthand just how suffocating the defensive measures had been over the past few months, stretching from the sacred grounds all the way to the main cathedral.

And extracting the artifact from the deepest recesses of the Roselia Cathedral under such oppressive security… it was an absolute impossibility, to say the least.

“Furthermore, earning a place within the Radiance Guardian proves you are a man of absolute fidelity. The superiors clearly hold you in exceptionally high regard.”

“Hahaha… I am merely receiving recognition far beyond what I deserve.”

“Well, given the sheer speed of your advancement, they have no choice but to invest in you. Right then, let us discuss your designated post. Walk with me.”

Lailyn concluded her thought, rising from her chair to move toward the exit that led to the exterior grounds.

Heinrich lost no time in following her out into the corridor.

“It is quite a tedious constraint, isn’t it? It cannot be helped, as you are restricted to speaking only within specifically enchanted zones…”

The chamber they had just vacated was a component of the intricate security protocol they had navigated earlier.

That room was undoubtedly far from an ordinary space.

“Why don’t you attempt to utter something? Naturally, attempting to commit it to parchment will fail as well.”

“I suppose so. Let me see…”

Taking her cue, he attempted to speak just to test the boundaries, but not a single sound managed to escape his throat.

“You are incapable of exposing it regardless, but remain vigilant regarding your expressions and deeds going forward. It will arouse suspicion if you suddenly fall entirely mute. It is wisest to view it as a hidden truth known solely to you. A mystery that must remain buried forever!”

“…Understood! I will ensure it remains locked away.”

Heinrich gave a firm, solemn nod, his countenance mirroring the gravity of the situation.

As though pledging to carry this profound confidence with him to the afterlife.

In truth, he had never harbored any desire to share this revelation with a living soul from the very start.

Only ‘I’ required possession of this knowledge.

He would never permit anyone else to learn of it.

—

[The deepest vault of the Roselia Cathedral… I would have remained entirely blind to it had I simply searched blindly.]

Deep within an eerie, isolated research outpost hidden in the heart of the perilous creature-infested woods, an Arch-Lich spoke aloud in the grim silence.

He was the very target the Church was exhausting all resources to hunt down—the singular entity who must never obtain intelligence regarding the final shard.

Hans, the true successor of the Immortal King.

Having concluded his specialized enhancement modifications on Harley, he had pivoted to autonomous studies and was now deeply contemplative after stumbling upon this startling piece of information.

[This presents a massive obstacle. There is virtually no move I can make at this present juncture.]

Regardless of the immense power Hans currently wielded, executing a direct assault on the absolute center of the Church remained an impossibility.

He lacked any concrete data on the precise nature of the defensive mechanisms waiting inside.

[Then again, a direct confrontation is unnecessary. The issue will unravel itself naturally if I simply exercise patience. A window of opportunity will present itself shortly. Hehehe…]

He held the advantage of time.

Now that the location of the final shard was firmly in his grasp, his sole task was to await the perfect moment while fortifying his own assets.

The inquiries he was currently pursuing were vital across numerous fronts.

[This endeavor is likewise a prerequisite for that fast-approaching moment. Foremost, I must devise a method to completely blind the Saintess’s divination tracking. It is incredibly stifling to be restricted from operating freely due to being confined within this protective boundary.]

The fundamental concept was already starting to take shape in his mind.

It demanded further dedication, but time was a resource he possessed in abundance, meaning there was zero cause for impatience.

The upgrade of Harley, which stood as his immediate objective, was advancing without a single hitch.

—

Within a section of the wilderness, located a fair distance from the concealed laboratory utilized by Hans.

*Rustle—*

A midnight panther dropped from the dense canopy of a towering tree with the swiftness of a lightning bolt.

Its intended prey was a solitary human standing exposed in the open.

The man appeared completely oblivious to the predator’s approach, offering zero counter-movement to the lethal ambush.

Or so the beast assumed…

“Haha! You thought wrong!”

The precise instant the predator descended upon his position, the human, Harley, had already spun around to confront the attacking beast face-to-face.

His pointed ears twitched with heightened awareness.

Realizing its element of surprise had vanished, the midnight panther rapidly extended its razor-sharp front talons, but the man merely offered a vicious, toothy grin.

He had expected the strike from the beginning.

*Crack—*

His right arm dilated violently in a split second, and five elongated, talon-like claws burst forth from his fingertips.

“Haa!”

“Kraaagh—!”

The ferocious battle cries of both man and monster collided in the air.

The beast’s massive paw sliced toward Harley’s skull, but he dipped his frame to evade the blow, using his heavily muscled left forearm to deflect the momentum of the strike.

It was a martial technique derived from Heinrich’s “Holy Warrior Combat Arts”, which he had adapted for various combat applications.

Simultaneously, his massive, altered right hand clamped onto the exposed nape of the panther’s neck.

*Grab! Stab—!*

“Gah!”

The five elongated claws pinning the creature’s neck did not merely puncture the surface.

*Crack—*

The razor nails tore deep through the muscular fibers, grinding directly against the cervical bone.

*Thud!*

The lethal engagement concluded in a solitary transaction.

In stark contrast to the midnight panther, which now lay motionless on the forest floor with its neck completely mangled, Harley stood completely unblemished by the encounter.

“Kya~! What an incredible rush!”

To think that a creature he would have previously risked his very life to overcome could now be utterly demolished with a single constriction of his hand.

Heinz the Second had served as a primary catalyst for Harley’s explosive advancement.

The remaining life essence he left behind had served as an exceptionally potent fuel for Harley’s growth.

Naturally, Harley was incapable of replicating the specialized blood attribute mana that fueled Heinz’s techniques or his unique talents, but Heinz’s physical vessel, refined through the process of “Hybrid Evolution”, was indisputably elevated far beyond standard limitations.

“Time to begin!”

The engorged muscles of his right arm compressed rapidly, sacrificing raw mass to regain precision and swiftness.

Without hesitation, that same hand plunged directly into the chest cavity of the midnight panther.

*Stab— Rip!*

The panther’s core mana crystal emerged clutched in his sharp-clawed hand.

He casually wiped away the worst of the crimson coating before driving his teeth—now completely serrated like those of a deep-sea predator—directly into the fist-sized gem.

*Crunch! Crunch— Crunch!*

‘It appears midnight panthers have passed the point of rendering significant benefits.’

“Mutation” functioned as a mechanism that allowed evolution through the acquisition and assimilation of diverse genetic codes.

By continuously consuming identical creatures, the developmental yields naturally experienced diminishing returns.

His reason for ingesting these core stones was elementary.

It represented the absolute most direct method to fulfill the operational parameters required by “Mutation”.

‘Obtaining a dragon heart would be the ultimate solution.’

A dragon heart stood as the absolute pinnacle of mana crystals.

Predictably, there was zero public intelligence regarding the location of such an item, let alone one available through standard trade.

An individual might possess one in secret somewhere on the continent, but uncovering such a Hoard was currently impossible.

《The subject attains profound comprehension through repetitive execution. You have successfully unlocked the skill “Gluttony”.》

Just as he swallowed the final fragments of the panther’s mana crystal, a text prompt materialized directly in his field of vision.

“Oh? Now that is a capability perfectly suited to my demands.”

“Gluttony” proved to be a highly advantageous asset, granting him the capacity to consume virtually anything with enhanced ease, accelerated speed, and vastly greater volume.

It was a welcome acquisition, particularly due to its secondary benefits of multiplying digestion speed and optimizing immediate vitality replenishment.

‘…’

However, a specific detail had been causing him minor concern as of late…

“Wahahaha—!”

A booming, unprompted laugh erupted from his throat without warning.

There was absolutely nothing amusing about the scenario, yet the laughter burst forth uncontrollably.

‘It appears Harley’s underlying temperament has warped slightly since integrating “Mutation”…’

It was difficult to categorize—either excessively uninhibited or outright brutal…

“Pfft… Hahaha!”

‘To be entirely candid, he behaves like an absolute lunatic.’

He maintained a perfectly standard demeanor under ordinary circumstances, but this unsettling shift inevitably took hold whenever blood was spilled or a combat scenario concluded.

The relentless series of biological alterations and the traits inherited from them had clearly exerted a heavy toll on the vessel’s psychological makeup.

Since it was an outcome of his own design, he had no right to shift the blame onto anyone else.

‘Hmm… As I continue to inhabit this state, I suppose it possesses a certain charm.’

The explosive laughter left him feeling remarkably unburdened.

…Perhaps this state of affairs was perfectly fine?

-Subject Designation: Harley

-Universal Traits: “Mind Hub”, “Persona”, “Clear Mind”

-Unique Traits: “Mutation”, “Physical Transformation”, “Regeneration”, “Gluttony”

-Operational Parameters: The physical vessel has achieved total stabilization with mutagenic properties via extensive biological conditioning. Automatically shifts into the most dominant configuration upon the integration of novel genetic sequences, restructuring the physical form based on that data. Displays total environmental compliance by shifting into an idealized state even under catastrophic conditions.

“Physical Transformation” represented an extraordinary mechanism, offering him the freedom to restructure his physical form using various arrays of the genetic material currently stored in his code.

The solitary drawback lay in the catastrophic rate at which energy reserves were depleted during every instance of activation.

Yet, that very trait enabled him to execute maneuvers such as this.

*Crack, crack—!*

The muscle fibers throughout his entire frame expanded drastically, and his skeletal structure expanded in density.

His shoulders widened significantly, and his visual perspective elevated.

Within moments, Harley had reshaped himself into a heavily muscled colossus towering well over two meters in height.

“A massive frame offers undeniable supremacy in physical dominance. I must maintain at least this scale to operate effectively!”

He violently tore away the constraints of his tight shirt, letting loose another booming laugh.

‘Though I have tinkered and run numerous trials with different configurations, it is undeniably clear that Harley requires this level of physical mass to maximize the efficiency of his unique attributes.’

Monsters and beasts of power possessed the ability to convert internal mana directly into raw, stubborn life force, unleashing a tier of destructive output that completely defied standard biological boundaries.

A tier of force a baseline human physique could never withstand.

And while Harley managed to retain a superficially human silhouette, his skeletal framework, muscular composition, and internal biology were fundamentally identical to those of a high-tier magical beast.

Their physical forms, hardwired strictly for lethal efficiency, delivered performance metrics that completely outclassed standard humanity.

*Growl—*

The solitary flaw was the utterly abyssal metabolic efficiency, but that hurdle could now be mitigated through the applications of “Gluttony”.

‘Ah, but the lingering exhaustion from utilizing “Physical Transformation” is compounding, leaving me ravenously empty.’

*Drool—*

Saliva began to pool and spill from Harley’s maw.

His focus had already locked onto the carcass of the midnight panther resting on the earth.

‘…With the support of “Gluttony”, this should pose zero health risks, correct?’

He possessed the capability to break down any matter without experiencing toxic shock.

Furthermore, a substantial source of nourishment lay directly before him to quench his physical deficit.

*Rip—!*

Harley forcefully detached one of the panther’s forelegs, casually stripped away the coarse outer hide, and shoved the raw nourishment into his jaws, consuming it ravenously.

The uncooked tissue of the beast was systematically obliterated by his newly sharpened teeth.

Dark fluids spilled free.

Harley’s jawline and upper torso were quickly painted in crimson.

‘…No, this borders on absolute madness.’

He had consciously attempted to avoid micromanaging the individual mentalities of each vessel, but it was becoming apparent that Harley demanded structured oversight.

It would prove far more exhausting to constantly monitor and dictate his dialogue and conduct, but there was absolutely no scenario where he could forge standard societal bonds with his current psychological state.

He wasn’t some unrefined tribal wildman, what in the world…

‘Wait… A tribal wildman? A barbarian?’

The Auterica Dimension served as a home where a massive variety of cultures, races, and unique species coexisted.

Naturally, primitive barbarian populations were a reality here as well.

In fact, they commanded a significantly vast territory.

Deep within the unforgiving, arid wildlands belonging to the barbarians in the southern reaches of the continent, a massive tribal coalition government had actually been founded by the various clans.

‘A barbarian… a savage berserker… that archetype would actually fit perfectly.’

An immense physical frame complemented by intricate tribal markings spanning across the entire body.

An individual who would laugh uproariously while crushing an adversary’s skull with a massive battleaxe, quenching his physical exhaustion with the life essence of his targets.

“Oh! Brilliant!”

Harley, his mouth completely packed with raw nourishment, let loose another thunderous shout of approval.

As I directed a portion of my focus toward regulating his behavior to ensure he simply consumed his meal without causing a scene, I systematically re-evaluated my strategy.

‘In truth, I recalled reading that even the southern tribes have adopted a degree of civilization in recent times… regardless, eccentric individuals exist in every corner of the world.’

Harley, the untamed savage warrior.

The concept carried an excellent resonance.

My old gaming enthusiasm, which had remained largely dormant since my academic days, began to surge once more.

‘To start, I will need to fashion a primitive helm utilizing the skull of a powerful beast, procure a necklace crafted from bones alongside similar tribal adornments, and secure a massive greataxe.’

It was a design completely driven by traditional stereotypes and personal amusement.

A classic, old-school aesthetic that would undoubtedly cause sophisticated, contemporary citizens of the south to wince in disapproval.

Should they bear witness to it, they would certainly voice complaints, claiming it merely served to validate outdated biases against all inhabitants of the southern plains.

Naturally, I harbored zero intention of catering to their delicate sensibilities.

‘It works out beautifully that Heinrich previously mastered heavy axe forms. He can comfortably wield an axe when operating under public scrutiny, and utilize “Physical Transformation” whenever he secures total isolation.’

So long as the experience provided entertainment, nothing else mattered.

“Haha! The thrill is unmatched! Time to press onward!”

Harley tossed aside the stripped bone of the foreleg he had thoroughly cleared, his leg muscles bulging with sudden force as he sprinted forward, cutting a path directly through the dense foliage.

His gaze had taken on the piercing intensity of an apex predator, while his senses of smell and hearing operated without pause, scanning the environment for any scrap of local data.

His goal was to harvest as many diverse genetic strains as possible from the native creatures of this zone before shifting his operations to an entirely new territory.

Roughly four weeks dissolved in that exact fashion.

This marked the period wherein Harley, backed by the labor of his summoned undead thralls, systematically brought down every variety of monster inhabiting the immediate sector, secured their genetic profiles, and finalized preparations to transition to his next destination.