Deadmeat Saga

Chapter 94 – Stage 2 Ascension. Hunted to Hunter. Gerhart's new bucket list.

Upon returning home, Gerhart introduced the siblings to the household members before starting a round of blessings on them. However, he didn't look at the result. He had something else to do first.

Getting Havre to guard him, Gerhart lay on his bed and did something long overdue.

Stage 2 Ascension Requirements: 1,000,000 Energy Points, All Basic Stats B or above, Level 50 or above, First Evolution Completed, 300 Thralls, and 3 Envoys.

Conditions Met. Proceed?

"Proceed," Gerhart said.

The next moment, Gerhart found his consciousness sucked into himself, finding himself in a pitch-black world. A familiar yet unfamiliar voice sounded.

Greetings, Aspiring Conqueror. You have honed yourself, built a small force, and are ready for the next step.

Last time, we spoke of the primordial driving force of Conquest. But now, you shall learn a more profound lesson.

The next moment, Gerhart saw several windows depicting different scenarios. One of them displays a benevolent ruler who everyone worshiped. Another was a tyrannical warlord with fanatical zealots under his command, enslaving populations for his end goals. A third was a balanced ruler, kind to his subject but not shy of war.

Rulers use their charisma and leadership to achieve a common end goal: Domination.

It is the power to paint others in your colors. It is a highly corrupt power that changes the people around you.

In the world you are in now, Chudyria, gods exist, and they, too, use a form of Domination and Corruption through religion.

Gerhart then saw images of temples, preachers, and lofty gods watching from above. The gods fed on their beliefs, exchanging them for protection. As people worshiped them, they were slowly painted in the colors of the gods they worshiped, binding themselves to the gods.

Conquest, Domination, or Corruption are all forms of power, and power is a tool. It has no concept of good or evil.

Users of Corruption may deny it, mask it with righteousness and kindness, or show their true colors from the onset. It matters not.

I have chosen your world since I have sensed an opportunity in it, a challenge to hone yourself.

Gerhart then saw images. They were humans and demi-humans covered with black veins, their eyes red.

"Corrupted?" Gerhart widened his eyes.

Perhaps you have met them already. They are the Corrupted, the lowest slaves of a powerful entity far beyond what you can hope to face. Their goal is a singular one: To revive their dead master.

If they succeed, your world is doomed. The entity would suck it dry, and it would harvest even its followers before leaving a dry husk.

It hacked the creation of a superior civilization predating the current medieval civilization, a testing ground for youths, using them as tools to suck your world dry. You know them as Dungeons.

"So the Echoes are its servants?!" Gerhart widened his eyes.

Luckily, the entity was mortally wounded by the said civilization using forbidden weapons, forcing it into a deep coma. However, the civilization perished, creating a power vacuum that allowed other races to evolve.

However, in fear of more advanced civilizations emerging and taking away the control of the dungeons, it placed a reality-warping technology lock that prevented advanced technology from being developed, trapping your world in a safe state so it could continue harvesting you.

I used its weakness to hijack one of its tier 10 dungeons as a testing ground for an aspiring conqueror, sending monster waves to lure challengers. I reincarnated you in this time to serve as a challenge or perhaps an opportunity for you to grow.

"So that was what happened..." Gerhart muttered.

Now that you know the truth, I shall give you your primary goals.

Continue honing yourself to endure future challenges.

Continue growing your force, forming a small territory that would help you.

Capture dungeons for their vast resources and stop them from continuing to siphon energy.

Search, find, kill, and absorb the Corrupted.

Receive your new powers and use them to achieve your goals.

Good luck, young conqueror. And remember, all paths lead to the same destination.

A silver flame suddenly appeared in front of Gerhart before merging with him.

"Ghk..." Gerhart frowned as the flames further refined his powers.

However, after all the things Gerhart experienced, the pain was not too much for him to endure. After an indeterminate amount of time, Gerhart woke up. Looking outside, it was still dark. Havre still dutifully stood near the door, guarding him.

"Havre, how long was I asleep?" Gerhart asked.

"Ten minutes, my lord," Havre replied.

Just then, he received more messages.

You have reached the 1 billion Energy Points Milestone. Unlocked Stage 3 Ascension.

You have achieved the Golden Evolution.

You have killed an Echo ahead of time.

You have conquered a tier 6 dungeon ahead of time.

The conditions are adjusted.

Stage 3 Ascension Requirements: 1 billion Energy Points, 100,000 Thralls, 1,000 Envoys, 10 Agents.

Conditions Not Met. Please convert more followers.

"Oho?" Gerhart couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Havre, have you felt the changes?" Gerhart asked.

"Yes, my lord. I can now become an Agent of Conquest. But I do not know what powers I would have." Havre explained.

"I see. Havre, come here." Gerhart motioned.

Havre understood his intentions, so she walked to the bedside and knelt. Gerhart placed a hand on her shoulder.

Would you like to elevate the Envoy - Havre Elkington to an Agent?

Requirements: All stats B-grade, level 50. 1,000,000 points.

Unlike the Envoy, the relic had more stringent requirements for an Agent. Of course, for Gerhart, the energy required was nothing.

"Elevate Havre to an Agent," Gerhart commanded.

Immediately after, energy entered Havre, imperceptibly changing something inside her. About ten minutes later, Havre awoke, silver light shining in her golden eyes.

"My lord. I have become an Agent of Conquest." Havre smiled and explained.

"I see. What are my and your new powers?" Gerhart asked.

"Then I shall explain," Havre said and started explaining.

In summary:

Gerhart's improvements:

• Conquest Affinity Improvement.
• Can elevate Envoys to Agents.
• You and Agents can now bless and heal non-converted, but they will influence the target, making it easier to convert them.
• Absorbing overlapping talents shall now be converted to base energy, and you can now absorb the Corrupted for a lot of energy.
• Can sense the Corrupted. If they enter a certain distance or perceive them, Gerhart would intuitively know. If they enter the area of influence of Statues of Conquest or Agents sense them, Gerhart would sense them.
• Can communicate with Agents from extreme distances.

Agent's improvements:

• Conquest Affinity Improvement.
• Can elevate Thralls to Envoys.
• Can now Absorb, Covert, Bless, and Heal others without a Statue of Conquest and store energy. It is limited to 1,000,000 points.
• Can create Tier 2 Statues of Conquest. The Max Range, Max Storage, Max Power, and Max Size improved by 1,000 times. Can tether to other Statues of Conquest, creating a network.
• Can sense the Corrupted and shares awareness of Corrupted.
• Can communicate with Gerhart, other Agents, and subordinate Envoys from afar.

In short, it was good!

Healing and Blessing only the converted has long annoyed Gerhart. But now, it was different. He could now do it, and it even had the added effect of influencing the other party. It made charity work a viable strategy for mass conversion.

Absorbing overlapping talents also annoyed Gerhart since it was a waste. But now, those talents would be recycled into energy. That made absorbing others much more lucrative. And being able to absorb the Corrupted was a lucrative bonus.

Sensing the Corrupted changed the initiative to Gerhart's hands. From the hunted, he was now the hunter. And being able to communicate with Agents was a great thing. He could issue orders from afar, letting them handle affairs.

As for the Agents, it was the same as creating infiltrators who create cults, slowly eating cities from within. A single agent can silently infiltrate a city, creating Envoys who slowly convert the population.

In short, Gerhart was satisfied! He looked forward to what the Stage 3 Ascension had in store for him.

With a satisfied heart, Gerhart prepared for another great day!

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After breakfast, Gerhart looked at Anthemius and Flora, who underwent a round of blessings.

As a result-

Anthemius's talents: Initial Shadow Monarch(Upgradable), Initial Endless Vitality, Initial Supreme Magic, Initial Domain of Shadows, Initial Domain of Undeath, Shadow Sovereign Bloodline(100%)

Flora's talents: Initial Aspect of Life(Upgradable), Initial Endless Vitality, Initial Supreme Magic, Initial Domain of Life, Initial Domain of Nature, Human Life Goddess Bloodline(100%)

{Unique Talent - Initial Shadow Monarch(Upgradable): Master of the Shadow Realm. Lord of the Eternal Army. Bringer of Undeath. Patron Shadows and Undead. Loved by all Undead beings.}

{Unique Talent - Shadow Sovereign Bloodline(100%): The pure bloodline of the Shadow Sovereign. It has potent Vitality, Magic, and affinity to Shadows and Undead. Due to its nature, those with this bloodline live ten times longer, count as living undead, and can only procreate with living undead races.}

{Unique Talent - Initial Aspect of Life(Upgradable): Aspect of a Life God. Bringer of Life. Lord of Natural Life. Patron of Life and Nature. Loved by all living beings.}

{Unique Talent - Human Life Goddess Bloodline(100%): The pure bloodline of the Human Goddess of Life. It has potent Vitality, Magic, and affinity to Life and Nature. Due to its nature, those with this bloodline live ten times longer but are hyperfertile and have very high libido, and the bloodline of progeny is prone to mutation.}

In a way, the two siblings were opposites, yet similar. One was the patron of the living, while the other was the patron of the Undead.

Anthemius now had pitch-black hair and eyes, with black tattoos covering his pale skin, and had a gloomy air about him that made people want to stay away. Although still short for his age, he was having a growth spurt and would likely soon reach or surpass the height of others his age. If he didn't hide his energy and looks, everyone was uneasy when he was near them. It was little wonder since he was now technically Undead, and Undead Energy is toxic to the living. Only races like Vampires, Living Liches, and other similar Undead would find him pleasant.

Meanwhile, Flora was blooming into a green-haired top beauty no less than Havre. Her motherly curves were more pronounced with greenish-gold tattoos on her body. She had this gentle and attractive demeanor that made all living beings amiable to her. The birds and horses were affectionate to her whenever she interacted with them, butterflies fluttered around her, and everyone felt comfortable around her.

"Perhaps it is fate?" Gerhart wondered.

But he didn't continue dwelling on it. Now, he had achieved most of what he needed. He only had a few items left on his bucket list:

Bucket List:

1. Speak with Max in the Guild.
2. Fetch some bloodlines for his core members.
3. Receive the rest of the compensation from the dead Echo's two identities. (Mostly because he was interested in his identities)
4. Receive S-rank Adventurer Cards. (For convenience)
5. Plant a wealthy and influential Agent in Tabarga and leave the servants with him.
6. Create several more Agents to lay a foundation in the Nehan Kingdom and Corrupt Convert it.
7. Set off to the Youvamore Kingdom.

The first item on the list was to speak with Max, the Doom Lord. Now that he was powerful, he didn't need to fear him. He wanted to learn more about the Kerus Dynasty from him. He could also fetch some bloodlines on the way.

Today, he should receive the property of the Echo. Hearing he is a Grand Burgher, he should have plenty of assets.

Receiving the S-rank card was easy. He only needed to get the Dungeon Explorer card to S-rank.

Planting an influential agent was more tricky since those with power tended to be powerful. But he could use the Grand Burgher's property as bait. He could then look for a few talents to convert and send them to big towns and cities.

And, finally, return to the Youvamore Kingdom in glory. With his new powers, he might even prevent the civil war from happening!

"Let's fill that bucket list," Gerhart muttered.