Chapter 465: Get lost.

KWA-AAAH-!

A giant maw snapped open and lunged at me.

KOO-WOONG-!

I was slammed straight into the wall, shattering it completely.

Dragging my mangled arm, I barely managed to dodge.

Moving was incredibly difficult underwater.

‘Tsk…’

I clicked my tongue and scowled.

My body being wrecked was a problem, but something else was a bigger issue right now.

[Hand yourself over obediently!]

Every word the bastard shouted echoed relentlessly in my head.

Is it directly attacking my mind?

‘Seriously annoying.’

Physical problems were bad enough, but it was extremely bothersome that it was messing with my mind too.

‘What is this guy?’

Considering I always had weird stuff dangling off my body, it wasn’t strange for there to be more, but…

It popped out so suddenly, my confusion ran deep.

A monster resembling a snake with blue scales.

It had a massive build, and its sharp fangs were impressive.

Its appearance made me wonder what kind of look that was.

It was disgustingly arrogant and utterly full of itself.

Yet, for some reason, I felt a familiar energy emanating from such a creature.

Shhheeek-!

“…!”

Sensing movement from the left, I raised both arms.

KOO-WOONG-!

As soon as I raised my arms, the attack descended as if it had been waiting.

“Gack!”

A heavy weight landed on the back of my arm. The bastard had attacked me with its tail.

My body was swept up by the impact and sent flying.

KWA-ACK-!

The pain felt like more than what should be possible underwater.

Pushed away, I flew and had to embed myself in the wall once more.

‘Damn, it’s strong.’

It was so bad I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

No matter how I looked at it, the situation was terrible.

How could this happen?

One arm was bitten off, and my power isn’t being utilized properly. Is it because my vessel is broken? Maybe so.

While not quite normal, I was in a situation where I couldn’t show even a fraction of my original skill.

To have to face a guy like that in this state.

‘This is fucking shitty.’

It was truly an absurd situation.

I twisted my body.

Deu-deu-deu-DEUK-!

The monster’s claws dug right into the spot where I had been.

I tried to create some distance somehow, but it wasn’t easy.

The back of my arm felt numb. Is it fractured?

‘Doesn’t feel like it’s that bad.’

Since I couldn’t deploy my defensive force, my guard became vulnerable.

It was too dangerous to block, so I had to evade somehow, but…

KWA-ACK-!

That too was impossible. My pushed-aside body flapped uselessly.

‘Gack.’

My internal organs churned from the shock.

I managed to protect my head, but my injured arm twisted once more.

Fuck, this really hurts like hell.

As I tried to gather my scattered mind amidst the pain and steady my body…

KWAK-!

The monster’s arm shot forward, grabbed me, and pinned me to the floor.

KOO-WOONG-!

The surrounding area shook once more from the impact.

Perhaps due to the shockwave, bubbles surged upwards, and I had to bite my lip as I felt my bones shattering.

[Insignificant lesser species.]

[As a noble superior species, I offered you mercy, yet you know not your place.]

[Did you truly think you could win? A mere mortal living for an instant?]

“Ah, damn it, can you please just speak normally?”

My ears were itching like crazy.

Ppeu-deu-deu-DEUK-!

I tried to wriggle free, thinking of twisting my bones, but the force binding me wouldn’t budge.

[Cease your pathetic struggles. You have no hope. So, give me….]

“My body?”

[Yes.]

Hearing that, I lifted the corners of my mouth.

This was the same thing repeated countless times already.

I am great and mighty, so hand over your body. Then you shall attain peace.

Since there’s no way you can win anyway, just hand it over obediently.

The more I heard it, the more questions arose in my mind.

“So. Why do you keep asking for it?”

[As I said again….]

“You could just take it, couldn’t you? Bastard.”

[…]

At my words, the monster froze for a moment.

Seeing that, I smirked.

I wasn’t an idiot; it was obvious after just one clash.

That I couldn’t win against this guy in this state.

It was a fact evident just from the situation I was pinned in.

This was something the bastard trying to devour me also knew.

But.

“Why the hell do you keep asking?”

Seeing it keep demanding I hand it over, I started to vaguely understand something.

I looked at the monster’s one good eye and spat out my words.

“You… you can’t just take it, can you?”

[Grrrrr….]

“You have to take it, right?”

No answer came.

Only a low growl could be heard.

But that was more than enough.

There was clearly an overwhelming gap, and the monster seemed to want my body, but…

It only threatened me to hand it over, unable to forcibly take it.

Moreover, judging by how it was subtly controlling its strength to avoid killing me…

“You can’t kill me, and you can’t take it. Right?”

I could tell the monster couldn’t act recklessly against me.

Was it certainty? Not quite.

However, it was just about time for it to turn into certainty.

The monster’s reaction was exactly like that.

Its face contorted viciously. Its breathing grew rougher.

Yet, the fact that it didn’t react further proved it.

That bastard can’t do anything to me.

It meant its only real option was to mentally corner me and make me hand it over.

Of course, I didn’t know if there was some trick behind even that.

‘Why, though?’

For that, there needed to be a reason to go through such trouble.

Also, was this a change caused by our conversation?

I felt the pressure holding me loosen slightly.

I twisted my body slightly. Escaping was impossible, but I managed to pull my hand out a little.

The problem now was what to do.

‘…I know the problem.’

But knowing the monster’s problem wouldn’t provide anything to break through this situation.

Ultimately, I’d have to deal with the monster myself to end this.

How?

‘Do you think I’d know?’

If I knew, would I be in this state?

I only gained the certainty that I wouldn’t die.

I had to keep racking my brain on how to overcome the situation.

It seemed I couldn’t do anything with sheer strength right now.

‘If only my power was flowing, I could try something.’

It felt hollow inside, so that was impossible too.

‘Damn it.’

This is a total mess.

As I thought that and twisted my body back and forth, my fingertips brushed against the monster’s flesh for a moment.

Then.

Woong-!

“…!”

[…Ggureuk!]

I felt something burrowing into my body.

Simultaneously, the monster holding me swung its arm and threw me far away.

Hoo-wook-!

My body flew through the water current.

It was the same situation as before, but this time, my body didn’t slam into the wall.

Thump.

I twisted my body and landed lightly on the wall.

Immediately after, I checked my body’s condition.

‘…Energy is flowing?’

Then, I realized that the vitality that was completely gone had returned, albeit in a minuscule amount.

Feeling that, I let out a small smirk.

“Ah, so it was this.”

[Grrrrr…!]

My body was shattered, and my spirit was crawling on the floor, but…

Separately from that, I finally felt a slight release from the oppression.

Feeling the minuscule amount of energy returned to my body, I looked at the monster.

I wondered why this guy felt so familiar, considering I’d never seen him before.

“So that’s what it was. It was you.”

I think I know the monster’s true identity.

That guy is.

“Vitality (Blood Energy).”

It was indeed Vitality.

The energy that flowed into me from the monster was definitely Vitality, and the familiar presence I felt from it was also that.

Although I didn’t know why it had taken on such a form…

[Ggureureuk-]

It was clear the monster’s identity was Vitality.

Seeing the monster growling with its face contorted, I spoke.

“You were sleeping quiet as a mouse, so why the sudden bullshit?”

It was the energy implanted directly into my body by the Blood Demon himself.

It showed unbelievable effects when used, but the backlash felt in the body afterward was immense power.

Besides, given it was energy from the Blood Demon, I had intended not to use it if possible.

I didn’t understand why the power I’d shoved into a corner of my Dantian was suddenly acting up like this.

“What are you?”

[Do not misunderstand.]

“What?”

[Because I existed, you gained the chance for Shedding (Detachment of Perception). It is right that I should possess that body.]

I had to furrow my brow at the monster’s words.

I gained the chance for Shedding because it existed?

‘Shedding (Detachment of Perception).’

What could that word possibly mean? The Blood Demon had also said that to me.

It seemed related to dying as a human.

What exactly happens when one undergoes Shedding?

‘It called itself a superior species, didn’t it.’

Does it mean becoming something superior to humans?

Superior species… the word itself felt unsettling.

Perhaps because I kept frowning, the monster continued speaking, seemingly displeased.

[You are unworthy to become a Dragon (Dragon). You lowly wretch.]

Dragon (Dragon).

The word Vitality spat out lodged itself in my head with a ‘thunk’.

‘If it’s a Dragon then….’

Hearing that, the monster’s appearance caught my eye again.

A long body resembling a snake, limbs, a sharply split mouth, and fangs.

And a massive physique.

I had a feeling I knew what it was, and now I saw it resembled the appearance of Dragons spoken of only in legends.

That’s why it was even stranger.

Because nowadays in the Central Plains, when people mention Dragons (Dragon)…

‘They’re all Grade B monsters.’

It was a general term for Grade B monsters that came through the White Demon Gate.