Deadmeat Saga

After getting dressed, Gerhart headed to the city and entered the dungeon.

Interacting with the Obelisk briefly, Gerhart purchased the Primordial Human Bloodline Injection from the item shop. It was a strange glass object with a needle with a liquid inside.

He also bought a tier 6 sword and light armor for Primo. Primo didn't need it, but it was good as a cover.

Holding these items, Gerhart activated his new talent, Greater Spatial Storage. Immediately after, Gerhart sensed a humongous space vast enough to keep a castle.

"Bloody ridiculous..." Gerhart thought as he stored the items.

The items vanished from his hands, appearing inside the vast space.

"Man, I am like a living treasure trove now," Gerhart muttered as he left the guild.

As he did, he overheard a rumor, "Have you heard? There is a heroic saintess recruiting followers. Anyone from any background can come to apply!"

"Interesting..." Gerhart thought as he left the guild.

He was surprised that no one stopped or questioned his bizarre actions. But on second thought, perhaps there were plenty of times when an experienced explorer forgot something at home. Either way, he headed home unimpeded.

When he got home, he saw a plain-looking young man walking outside, stretching while wearing some of his clothes. Of course, that was Primo hiding himself.

"It took faster than expected," Primo said.

"I know. I thought Max would pop up or something." Gerhart said as he walked inside.

"Do you think you should even visit him? He did seem to want you to talk to him after that revelation." Primo said.

"I will- After I finish evolving and reaching the limit of level 60 again," Gerhart said.

Facing an ancient 200+ year-old war machine, Gerhart didn't plan on starting a conversation until he had absolute certainty he was not in danger.

"That is for the best, I guess." Primo shrugged.

After finishing their strange monologue, they passed by several of the servants in the main hall, heading upstairs to the bedroom.

At this time, Havre was already not there. She was meditating in another room. Qold, on the other hand, was still there, but she had already woken up.

"Hm... Two masters? I can work with that." Qold lustfully said, looking the two Gerharts up and down.

"Not now, Qold. I need the room to myself. Arrange for security." Gerhart said as he took out the bloodline injector from the Space Storage.

"Okay, master. If you ever want to double-stuff me, I am always up for it~." Qold mischievously smiled. "Oh, and the mistress has a message for you. When you finish, please speak with me."

Gerhart dismissively nodded, letting Qold leave while going up to Primo.

Primo didn't need any words as he titled his neck. Without hesitation, Gerhart used the syringe to stab Primo in the neck.

Ttttk* Tch*

It took a lot of pressure, but eventually, the syringe managed to pierce Primo's neck before Gerhart injected the fluid inside.

The moment the fluid entered Primo's bloodstream, Gerhart received notifications.

 

The secondary body, Primo, has been injected with Primordial Human Bloodline Solution(1%).

Would you like to use 99 million points to reach 100% purity?

 

"Well, of course, yes," Gerhart said.

 

Energy: 2,184m -> 2,085m.

 

Primo's bloodline quickly changed under the energy baptism, becoming a Pure-Blooded Primordial Human. There was no significant change apart from gaining strange tattoos over his body.

 

{Unique Talent - Primordial Human Bloodline(100%): The bloodline of the Primordial Humans, the origin of all Human Bloodlines, and the most comprehensive Human Bloodline. Well-balanced in all aspects and has an affinity with Chaos. Due to its characteristics, progeny would never inherit it, instead receiving pure but degraded bloodlines.}

 

Also, Primo seemed to have developed many Perfect Talents and could evolve them into Compound talents. Counting them, Gerhart realized Primo could evolve all ten stat-based compound talents and two more compound talents!

So, Gerhart didn't hesitate and evolved everything to the Initial grade. As a result-

 

Primo's new compound talents: Boundless Agility, Absolute Dexterity, Micro Perception, Super Intelligence, Phenomenal Instincts, Aura Sovereignty, Supreme Magic, Domain of Chaos, Mimick Bloodline.

 

{Unique Talent - Initial Mimick Bloodline: As the origin of all bloodlines, you can take on the qualities of lesser human bloodlines, temporarily changing your talents. The bloodline must be of lower rank. When mimicking another bloodline, the resulting progeny would be from this bloodline. It has extreme hiding abilities that can even fool the divine.}

 

Energy: 2,085m -> 2,045m

 

In a nutshell, the Primordial Human was a flawless existence. However, they specialized in nothing save for Chaos or mimicking other bloodlines. It made them highly versatile but that was all. That is not to say they are weak but not cost-effective compared to other bloodlines. This bloodline could also not last more than a generation, making it a weird outlier among bloodlines.

Pouring another 5m in Primo to level up, Gerhart focused on himself. He lay on the bed and activated the Golden Evolution. Gerhart already fulfilled the requirements long ago. He just wanted to create Primo before he did anything.

 

Evolution - Golden Tyrant Noble Human initiated.

 

Energy: 2,045m -> 1,940m

 

Suddenly, Gerhart felt pain wreck his body. Golden Tattoos began forming on Gerhart's body and major organs as he started growing again.

.

.

.

The Kerus Emperor was sleeping together with his wives when he felt the amulet on his neck heating up again.

Briefly checking it, he confirmed that his son somehow evolved into a Golden Noble Tyrant Human. It was a momentous occasion worth celebrating, the revival of the Kerus Dynasty!

But by this point, the Emperor was unmoved.

"Nope." The Emperor ignored it and returned to sleep.

.

.

.

Due to how profound Gerhart's foundation was, his evolution was exceedingly brief, lasting a mere hour.

The prestigious Golden Evolution, the peak evolution possible, was a cakewalk to the current Gerhart. In addition, all of his regular and compound talents were now upgradable.

"Hm... Let's see- Yep. My level returned to 1." Gerhart muttered.

Race: Golden Noble Tyrant Human

Level: 1.

It was supposed to be a period of weakness for those who evolved, needing several months to recover their strength.

However, Gerhart didn't need to wait that long.

"Primo, continue guarding me," Gerhart said.

"Hm." Primo nodded.

Gerhart didn't waste time and poured energy to level himself up. However, he noticed that the energy consumption increased ten times over!

But that didn't put a dent in Gerhart's funds.

 

Energy: 1,940m -> 1,900m

Level: 1 -> 60

 

Within half an hour, Gerhart reached level 60, greatly increasing his power. But he was not done yet.

"Primo, come here," Gerhart said to his clone.

Primo nodded and walked over. Gerhart didn't hesitate to copy all of Primo's talents. And then, once again, he leveled up.

Energy: 1,900m -> 1,815m

"Good," Gerhart muttered as he felt the surging energy inside him.

After getting accustomed to his body, Gerhart got up. Just then, Hope entered the room, knowing he wished to find her.

"What would you like to know, Gerhart?" Hope asked.

"What is the risk of going to claim the bounty now?" Gerhart asked.

"None," Hope said with complete certainty.

"Good enough for me," Gerhart said and looked outside. It was now afternoon. Although somewhat late for a royal audience, it wasn't too late to hand over a bounty. "Have Ray and To-Meri prepare. We will head to the castle now."

"I already instructed them before. They are waiting outside. However, we should prepare some counter-intelligence measures." Hope said.

"I know." Gerhart nodded.

"Also, I spoke to Qold. You should hear her out before we leave." Hope said with a deep look.

"Oh?" Gerhart raised an eyebrow.

.

.

.

An hour later-

Five individuals walked up to the guarded palace gates.

"Hold! State your business!" The royal guard stopped them.

"We come to hand over a bounty," Gerhart said.

"Bounty?" The guard frowned. "Then head to the city hall or Adventurer's Guild. Why head to the castle?"

"I am not talking about a typical bounty," Gerhart said.

"We are here to claim Ma Yang's bounty. Here is his sword." Hope, in her human form, said while showing his sword.

The guards' expressions immediately changed. "Respected Sir! Please, wait here while I get the Royal advisor."

"Go ahead," Gerhart said.

The five waited as the guard ran to fetch the Royal Advisor. Several minutes later, a dignified middle-aged man walked over.

"Are you the ones claiming the bounty?" The Royal Advisor asked to confirm.

"Yes. Here is Ma Yang's Sword." Hope nodded, presenting Ma Yang's sword.

Upon seeing the sword, the Royal Advisor recognized it immediately. This craftsmanship was foreign, so it was eye-catching at a glance.

"This is indeed his sword. Please, follow me." The Royal Advisor said.

The group of five followed him, entering the palace gardens. After walking for a minute, they arrived at the palace gates, where they were politely asked to leave their weapons. Only the king's guards and knights were allowed weapons.

Gerhart and his group didn't make things difficult, leaving their gear to the servants before entering a guest room.

"Please, wait here. I shall inform the king post-haste." The Royal Advisor said before leaving.

Meanwhile, beautiful maids served snacks and refreshments. Gerhart already expected to wait since he came without notice. Twenty minutes later, the king arrived, accompanied by three individuals. One was a well-dressed religious man Gerhart recognized as a high-ranking member of the temples. The second was a beautiful princess, and the third was a pale-skinned beauty with a sacred aura far surpassing that of To-Meri!

Gerhart couldn't help but glance at the pale-skinned beauty's status. If he didn't know beforehand, he would immediately reveal abnormalities. This is because her status was ridiculous! And looking at her five Otherworlder talents, he didn't even know what to say.

 

{Unique Talent - Philanthropic Shrine Maiden of Great Virtue: Through philanthropic acts, you gain great karma and virtue! Your business sense is out of this world, and you intuitively know how to smartly invest your money to help those in need most optimally.}

{Unique Talent - Extreme Good Karmic Luck: You have Extreme Good Karmic Luck protection!}

{Unique Talent - Divine Heroic Miko: You are a Divine and Heroic Miko! You and those who follow you gain extreme growth and benefits. Up to five others.}

{Unique Talent - Unblemishable Golden Self: Your body, mind, and soul are incorruptible and inviolable. Nothing can taint your pure self.}

{Unique Talent - Saving Lives Pays in Dividends: When you directly or indirectly save or improve someone's quality of life, you gain increasingly good benefits from the long-term impacts you made.}

 

While the rest were undeniably good, what attracted Gerhart's attention were Extreme Good Karmic Luck and Unblemishable Golden Self. The more vague they sounded, the scarier they were. He already heard of the absurdity Extreme Luck could bring. As for the Unblemishable Golden Self, he worried that she could be immune conversion!

"I'll see how things go." Gerhart thought.

Perhaps sensing his gaze, Himeko averted her eyes, appearing nervous. In Gerhart's eyes, it almost looked like a vulnerable puppy needing protection.

 

Detected effects of Universe Protagonist Protection targeting the Host.

Purging mental effects- Success

DANGER! Avoid antagonistic actions with the protagonist protected by the universe! May cause a deadly backlash.

Suggested Alternative: Avoidance or Gentle Corruption.

 

The vision Gerhart had shattered, returning to a sacred-looking and shy girl.

When Gerhart read these messages, he involuntarily shook. "What potent power. She almost had me."

Gerhart was already a Golden Noble, an existence far surpassing most in this world. And yet, some level 1 girl wet behind the ears influenced him without intending to do so. It was raw power at its finest.

While he was thinking about that, a steward announced, "King Annibalianus Chalcocondyles Nehan has entered the room!"

The surrounding servants immediately lowered their heads. Of course, Gerhart and his group didn't. They were above such trivialities.

"At ease." King Annibalianus waved his hand as he smiled at Gerhart's group. "Hello, heroes! I am glad you have come at last! I was eagerly expecting you."

"Hello to you too as well." Gerhart nodded to the king as he looked at his status.

The king of the Nehan Kingdom was a Noble Human of the warrior archetype, a level 62 Superior Warrior. But it didn't seem like he had room for growth. Still, he was a dignified S-rank, however weak.

"Hello, hero. I am the Reverand from the main temple, Greyson Cooke." The religiously-dressed elder said.

"Nice to meet you, Reverand." Gerhart nodded at the man.

The Reverand was about as strong as the king, being a Noble Human and a level 65 Superior Cleric. But it was unlikely that he was very high-ranking, likely a lower-end emissary.

"This is my daughter, Princess Libania Nehan, and this is Himeko Tsunematsu, a new Otherworlder and a Saint. They came to witness our discussion." The king smiled and introduced them.

"Greetings, heroes. I thank you for your brave actions." Princess Libania bowed.

"H-Hello." Himeko gave a light bow.

Gerhart smiled and lightly nodded at them. Princess Libania was an Elite Combat Cleric, Elite Princess Knight, and Superior Divine Medium. Her talents could also improve, making her a rare talent better than her father.

"Let us cut the chatter. Can you please show us the items?" The king said, sitting on the opposite couch with the Reverand. His daughter and Himeko stood behind him.

"Of course." Gerhart nodded and showed several items, including Ma Yang's Sword, the badge, the two identity cards, and the black dagger from the Echo.

"There is no doubt about it. It is Ma Yang's Sword." King Annibalianus nodded.

"And this badge is the communication badge of the Echos. These two identity cards are likely his personas in the kingdom. The dagger is made of Black Meteorite, and the Echos like to use this ore to make weapons." The Reverand evaluated. 

"Thank you, heroes, for stopping him on time. Without you, tens of thousands- no, millions might have died." The king lowered his head in gratitude.

"Thank you, heroes." The Reverand also lowered his head.

Libania and Himeko also bowed. Himeko did this out of respect. She learned of Ma Yang's actions and was horrified and disgusted. Hence, she was thankful that Gerhart and his group stopped Ma Yang, even if it meant spilling blood.

"It is fine. We just did the right thing." Gerhart smiled.

"The original bounty was a million Silver Coins. In light of the circumstances, we believe it is too low. However, our treasury is tight at the moment, so we cannot offer more liquid assets." King Annibalianus apologetically said.

"It is fine. The original bounty is already generous enough." Gerhart magnanimously said.

"Thank you for your understanding. As compensation, you will receive four S-rank reputation recognition from the Adventurer's Guild, and I would like to confer on you the title of Hereditary Duke and offer one of my daughters for you to marry." The king said.

"I humbly reject, Your Majesty. I cannot be bound to this land." Gerhart humbly rejected.

"Hahaha! I understand." The king smiled, not taking it to heart. He was merely trying his luck.

"However, we can give you the bounty for killing an Echo." The Reverand said and clapped his hands.

Immediately, two priests carrying platters walked into the room. A card was on one platter and a religiously decorated badge on another.

"This card holds ten million Silver Coins in the Union Bank. It is a paltry sum, but it would do. Also, this badge is a contribution badge of the main temple, holding a million contribution points. If you present it, then you can request items for contribution points. With enough points, you may even request precious Elixirs! If you show it at any temple, they will house and treat you for free." The Reverand proudly said.

Giving a reward the other party didn't want was a bad idea. Hence, it was better to give hard cash and the chance to take any item of equal value.

"Oh! Thank you." Gerhart smiled.

Money was always convenient. And while the badge was virtually a decoration, Gerhart didn't mind having it.

"Also, we will check the identities on these cards. Part of the bounty of Echos is that all their belongings belong to the one who killed them." The Reverand explained.

"Oh?" Gerhart raised an eyebrow.

"Advisor, check the cards." King Annibalianus called.

The Royal Advisor stepped forward and picked the cards, skimming them over. One of them was unfamiliar, but the other made him widen his eyes.

"I don't recognize one, but the other belongs to Grand Burgher Laonicus Acropolita!" The Royal Advisor said.

"Laonicus, hah? I always suspected he was connected to many assassinations, but I never thought he was an Echo." The King's eyes became chilly and ordered. "Check if the card is valid. If it is, go to his mansion and arrest everyone! Don't let them run away with any valuables! Even if someone who claims to be him is present, arrest him and bring him over! Also, check the identity of the other card and act accordingly!"

"At once!" The Royal Advisor bowed and left.

"And that is how it is, heroes. We will send a message once we confirm everything." The king said.

"It is alright." Gerhart.

"Now, is there anything you would like to request? I feel guilty about not being able to properly reward you." The king apologetically smiled.

"There is something. I hear Himko is recruiting members to her party, right?" Gerhart smiled, looking at the shy Himeko.

The king's and the Reverand's expressions changed.

"Sir Hero, we respect you, but you are too powerful to join." The Reverand said with a bitter smile.

He already secretly looked at Gerhart's status and confirmed Gerhart was a Superior Noble Human and a Great Berserker and Great Warrior and had Initial Ultimate Defense, Endless Vitality, and Strength Supremacy. He was a top-notch powerhouse no matter how he looked at it. That was why he believed he could defeat the Echo.

Of course, that was Gerhart hiding things with Ray's talent. If the Reverand knew his true status, he would likely piss himself.

"I am not promoting myself." Gerhart smiled and turned to one of his companions, a hooded figure. "Primo, introduce yourself you shy fellow."

Everyone suddenly turned to look at Primo. Previously, they didn't pay attention to him, including the shy Himeko. But now, they all looked over.

"Yes, cousin..." Primo lowered his hood.

"Sss..." Everyone in the room drew a cold breath of air as they looked at Primo.

Primo was now a dazzlingly handsome blond man with sculpted features and electric, sharp, golden tattoos. He had a striking pair of golden eyes, as if able to pierce anything. And yet, he had an honest and approachable demeanor.

"This is my cousin, Sword Saint Primo, who miraculously awakened the pure Sword God Bloodline. He is the genius of my family. I would like him to join the heroic party." Gerhart smiled.

The Reverand and Himeko checked the status of the young man, their minds almost turning numb.

"Genius! A complete prodigy!" The Reverand mentally exclaimed.

"Ikemen Desu!" Himeko almost drooled, her mental defenses collapsing to worldly desires.

 

What they saw was Primo's status. (Of course, after hiding most of his talents.)

 

Name: Primo 
Race: Human(Sword God Tribe)
Age: 18
Sex: Male
Level: 20

Skills: (+)

Base Stats:

Secondary Stats: (+)

Talents:

 

"Is this good enough?" Gerhart smiled and asked.

"You're hired!" Himeko yelled, causing everyone to look at her.

When everyone looked at her, her face flushed like a tomato, but still determined.

"He indeed fulfills the criteria. If he passes a test period, we will add him to Himeko's group." The Reverand said.

But although he said this, Himeko had the final say. If she said so, then Primo would join.

Primo gently smiled, stood up, and kneeled before Himeko.

"Sword Saint Primo dedicates his sword to the Saintess," Primo said with a confident, honest, charming, pearly smile.

"Kah... My heart..." Himeko shook, feeling her heart almost stopped beating.

"So chivalrous and handsome!" Princess Libania also shook, violently blushing. Not only was he more handsome than Ma Yang, but he was so much more agreeable and approachable! He was like her ideal partner coming out of her fantasies!

The infiltration was a critical success!