Ch.1176Eat Something and Take Care of Yourself.

Even the strongest creatures generally die when their brains are destroyed.

Even if they survive through transcendent regenerative abilities, they cannot avoid being incapacitated until the regeneration is complete.

The same applied to Leviathan, who had boasted of being the strongest species in the mortal world, a great dragon.

It had nine brains in total, including the small heads attached to its lower jaw, but during battle, all were destroyed except for the one in its main body.

I pierced that last remaining brain with Durandal and stirred it into a meat paste.

【 GrghK…?! Kyararak…! Kaeeeek…! 】

And so, the ancient dragon, Leviathan of the deep sea, met its end.

A death cry without a trace of dignity or arrogance. With final gasps similar to what it had called us throughout the battle—”inferior beasts.”

“Kya, heu… Hilarious, squealing like a pig in heat.”

I can’t resist mocking after victory.

Sitting on the pulverized flesh, breathing heavily with bloody foam, I spat out scornful ridicule with a face full of glee.

“You called us inferior species and whatnot… but weren’t you actually the most inferior? That sound… something you’d only hear in a livestock pen.”

Since I sensed its life was about to be completely extinguished, it surely heard me before dying. I wonder if it might return as a vengeful spirit out of rage.

– Kugugugugung…!

Ah, now it’s definitely dead.

My vision tilts. The dragon’s brain, soaked in blood, shakes like an earthquake with a heavy rumble.

The last thread of life it was clinging to has completely snapped, leaving it without even the strength to hold up its head.

Magnificently, like a collapsing mountain or a crumbling canyon.

But in a miserable state—having lost its legs and wings, with brain matter oozing from its punctured eyes.

“Haaaah….”

Mixing relief that it was over with exhaustion that made me not want to move a finger, and pain traveling through my wounds, I exhaled a sigh as I sat inside the dragon’s head, plummeting toward the ground.

The impact of the fall would be completely absorbed by the dragon’s skull and the flesh packed inside it. Since the ground below was lava, the impact itself wouldn’t be that severe.

So I could just sit and rest. I didn’t have the energy to stand up and escape right now anyway.

‘…Ah, I could use a cigarette.’

It would be perfect to smoke some Mana Herb while resting, but unfortunately, they all burned up when I was engulfed by Kudsedra’s breath.

Well, even my winter armor, which had undergone improvement after improvement, had been completely shattered in the fierce battle—not just the leather but even the dragon scales—so how could a cigarette pack have survived?

Anyway, I was now completely naked except for Frosting. It happened so often that it wasn’t even embarrassing anymore.

As for my companions below, except for Jahan, I’d bathed with all of them before, so there was no particular reason to feel embarrassed at this point.

I could properly dress again before Jahan woke up.

My winter armor was completely destroyed, but I had removed the emergency repair brooch beforehand, so I could somehow regenerate at least the leather parts.

Though I couldn’t restore the crucial dragon scale parts, so I couldn’t expect much in terms of defensive performance anymore.

Anyway, that’s how we overcame the first obstacle.

Just barely.

‘So I’ve successfully buttoned the first button? I didn’t underestimate it, but… this is more difficult than I expected.’

Despite its inglorious end, Leviathan was truly a formidable enemy. In terms of pure power, it might have been even stronger than Varnir or Garmerlic.

Its downfall came from two factors.

It wasn’t accustomed to fighting small enemies like humans, and it tried to trap me for an easy victory but instead took a direct hit from Leviathan.

In other words, without that one strike, we might have been the ones to lose.

Even with Fafnir’s help, I, who had defeated Invidius, almost died here.

That’s how strong it was. The creature known as a great dragon that I encountered for the first time.

‘I’m still not strong enough.’

So I needed to become stronger.

Not just barely winning by exerting all my strength plus having good fortune like this time, but strong enough to easily defeat the enemies here with my pure strength alone.

It was at that moment when I thought this.

【 Do҈̧̮̟̜̭̘̈́̈́̆̔͞ you desire power? Then de҉͚͉̝̓̉̒̋͜͠vour it. 】

The voice of that damn wolf, which had been quiet throughout the battle, began to resonate clearly in my head.

—-

Vanirgand, the evil god of predation and hatred, connected to my flesh.

As soon as I collapsed on the crushed gray matter, it spoke to me, urging me to devour the dragon’s corpse.

【 Bite҈͓̫̣̔̈̏̍͛͜͠ͅ, swallow҉̧͚̱͈̝͖͆̏͑̓͒̕, and engrave҉̧͎͔͙͈̀̽͂́͡ͅ it into your flesh҈̡̫̰̀́̄̏̕ͅ. 】

Spouting nonsense that I would gain the power I desired if I did so.

【 Nourishment for҈̢͖̬̳͕͐̀̕ you. The dragon’s soul҉̢̛̳̤̖̩͐̈͐̆̚, the dragon’s heart҈̨̥̜̟̖̈́̑͡. An incomparable҈̢̮̯̥͔̖͑̇̆͆͝ feast҉̨̛̱̯͋̋̊͊ of the highest quality! 】

…Damn, it’s really noisy.

Perhaps because my strength had hit rock bottom, making it difficult to resist its interference.

Its voice was so overwhelming that it was impossible to ignore, like thunder directly striking inside my brain.

Therefore, instead of ignoring it, I sighed deeply and responded to its words.

“Ha… this is ridiculous. You want me to do something that benefits you?”

You must be confused about something—one of my purposes for coming down here is to become stronger than you and kill you.

Telling me to eat to become stronger—I don’t know what your intention is, but I won’t do what you want.

“I’m not inclined to do that at all. If you want to tempt me, why not think of a wiser approach? Or is your beast brain incapable of coming up with anything better?”

It’s laughable that we’re even having this conversation.

You tried to kill and devour me. You’ve been causing a terrible commotion in my dreams every night, preventing me from sleeping peacefully.

I’m not usually one to curse, but just thinking about it makes my teeth grind and curses flow out spontaneously. And it’s still ongoing.

【 Still҉͍̪͒̽͢͞ foolish. What are you suspicious of, what are you de҈̨̦͉̖̞͐̽͞nying? 】

“Well, the existence of your parents?”

【 ……. 】

Vanirgand fell silent for a moment, perhaps caught off guard by my unexpected response.

“I see. So they don’t exist… they don’t exist at all… as expected.”

【 …Pre҉̛̙̳͕̮͒͆̀͑̋͢dation is the essence of strength. Power҉̰͍̜̦͇̅̎͂͢͡ is achieved by devouring and ta҈̨̖̝҇̌̏̋king. 】

This bastard immediately changes the subject when he has nothing to say. I’m not interested in your long-winded speech—just answer about the existence of your parents.

【 Such is the structure and nature҉̎̄̒̚͜͠ of this world, so your suspicion and de҈̡̲̜̘̘̙̂̈́̈̋͞nial are meaningless. Is not the power҈̦͕̓̂͌̈́̕͢ you’ve accumulated proof of that? 】

“Well, I actually agree with that… but it’s disgusting to find myself in agreement with you. Makes me feel like I’ve been living all wrong.”

To gain power, one must devour and take.

That wasn’t wrong. Whether accumulating Karma as a human or building divinity as a demigod, it all worked that way.

But since this evil god was urging me to do it, I could only suspect—no, be certain—that there was malice behind the temptation.

This wolf, constantly eyeing my body, wouldn’t recommend something beneficial to me.

It must know that my purpose for building power is to beat it to death, yet despite knowing this, it’s advising me to eat the dragon to gain strength.

It would be crazy not to be suspicious. Anyone would find this suspicious, right?

Moreover, its epithet is none other than the wolf of “predation.” Considering what happened with Invidius, it surely possessed powers befitting that epithet.

I’m not sure exactly what power it has… but perhaps if I eat the dragon’s heart, that power would transfer to this wolf?

Thinking that way, its recommendation is just a pretty poison cup for me, so ignoring it would be the right choice, but…

【 What҈̨̝̭̇̈́́̕̚ͅ will you do then? Despite this chance҉̧̛̯̱̤̞̭͒͋̚ to acquire its tremendous power, will you let this opportunity҈̡̜̬͖҇̑̀̉̓ slip away҉̢͙͓̟͈̆͊͠ because you’re wary of me? 】

…The problem is, even knowing this, I don’t have a good alternative.

Either risk danger and uncertainty to gain power, or give up the opportunity to become stronger out of caution toward Vanirgand.

In the end, I have to choose one, and if I choose the latter, half the purpose of my descent into this underground would be lost.

【 How҈̨̦͇̿̍̚͝ amusing. Truly҉̞͖̎̉̆̈̚͢͡ amusing҈̡͚͕̞͍̙҇̊̽ indeed! 】

Noticing my conflict, Vanirgand laughed boisterously, mocking me. It doesn’t matter to you either way, does it? That’s infuriating.

【 A person who entered҉̜̯̮̗̏̆̅́͗͜͠ hell seeking power, now abandoning҈̧̣̖͚͇҇̍̈̅̄̑ power before his eyes out of fear of trivial҈̨̛̝͍̙͐͌̃ risk! What greater҈̢̛̟̰͗̎̊ͅ folly҉̨͉͇̟̭̗̒͊̀͑͠ could there be! 】

No, damn it, you’re not a trivial risk.

“Isn’t it more foolish to drink poison offered by an enemy without suspicion? If you die from poisoning, you’d be too embarrassed to even have a funeral.”

【 The choice҈̧̰̙͇̖̔́͡ is yours. If you’re so afraid҈̨͈͓̰̔̓͝… well, I understand if you give up. The weak are naturally҈̢͇̞̄͑͠ fearful by nature. 】

“…What?”

【 It might҉̠̝̤͙̉̌͢͡ actually be more convenient for me҉̨͔͇̯͊̈̕. What easier҉͖̙͓̞̳͐̓̎̕͜ prey than a beast҉̡̙̘͉̰̙͊̊͡ that has stopped moving҈̨̟̠̥҇̓̀̽ͅ? 】

This bastard is now provoking and threatening me.

Are you scared? Did it think I would impulsively accept its offer if it suggested I was afraid?

“…I will definitely beat you to death, you damn wolf.”

Correct.

This damn evil god knows me too well.

The taunt that if I were scared, I should just give up and die trembling like a coward. It was provocation I simply couldn’t ignore.