81漫画

As a result, despite the Palegon’s near-infinite regenerative powers, it died due to overwork and excessive stress. Neither potions nor healing spells were of any use. Although the Palegon was a monster, even monsters were living creatures that felt pain after all.

‘He lasted quite a long time considering I cut his tail 100 times. Not bad.’

Henry was incredibly sad when the Palegon died, far more so than when Aubert had died.

Putting his feelings aside, Henry threw the dead Palegon into the pot of Black Tear.

The pot of Black Tear was amazing in many ways.

Blurp blurp.

Henry frowned slightly as he watched the Black Tear bubbling out of the pot.

‘Is today finally the day?’

By the time Henry caught the Palegon, he had already confirmed the efficacy of the Black Tear through a prototype. All that was left was to consume all the doses of Black Tear, which got Henry thinking about how to effectively absorb all of it.

Eventually, Henry decided to use the alchemy school’s secret technique, Condensation, which could condense the Black Tear into a form with a higher concentration.

“Haaa.”

After a short sigh, Henry snapped his fingers.

Oong!

The countless magic circles on the pot started to emit a bright light.

Shkk!

The large pot shrank until it was small enough to hold in one hand. After the bright light faded, Henry picked up the teacup-sized pot.

‘This is slightly better.’

As it was now more concentrated, the side effects had multiplied a hundred times, but that was okay.

“...Please hang in there, body.”

There was no one listening, but Henry muttered to himself because he didn’t think he’d have the courage to swallow the potion down otherwise. Henry drank a painkiller that he had purchased from the temple.

Gulp gulp.

He felt his body cooling down, and his senses grew a little dull.

‘I think this should do.’

Now, everything was ready.

Henry took a deep breath. He poured the contents into his mouth all at once.

Gulp!

There was no time to savor or taste it. He immediately put his hands together and cast a spell.

“Iron Chain!”

Clang!

Magic chains sprouted from the floor and coiled around Henry like snakes, firmly fixing him to the ground. He had to take this special measure. Without warning, an intense pain hit his innards.

“Argh!”

“Arggggh…!”

The pain was so great that he could only make desperate groans.

Cold sweat flowed all over his body and it felt as if someone were jumping up and down on his body.

“Uugh…!”

He sounded as though someone were squeezing his heart. The blood vessels in his eyes burst, turning Henry’s vision red.

It felt hot.

His skin burned as if he had been thrown into a pit of fire and cold sweat poured down like rain. His body was shaking like a person with a cold.

‘Priests, these swindlers…!’

He had purchased the most expensive painkiller in the temple, but it had no effect. In fact, it was harder to stay focused due to his dulled senses.

It was a total disaster.

He had expected that it would hurt, but he didn’t think it would be so painful that he would have trouble even breathing.

“Ahhhhh!”

Suddenly, a wave of pain ran through his entire body, as if he were being beaten by an ogre.

The pain before was just the beginning.

Clank clank…!

As the pain increased, Henry started to struggle even more, and the chains shook like aspen trees.

- Khu…?

Elagon, who was resting in the bracelet, sensed that something was wrong with his nest and crawled out of his own accord. Elagon couldn’t contain his shock since Henry was the nest he cherished most in the world. Henry was writhing in pain with chains wrapped around him.

- Khu khu khu!

Flap flap!

Elagon flapped around in the air, not knowing what to do seeing Henry in so much pain.

It was the second time something like this had happened after Elagon had hatched.

The first time was when Henry was fighting Benedict to death, but back then, Henry had warned Elagon not to show himself no matter what, fearing that he would lose Elagon during the fight.

However, it was different now. Henry hadn’t told Elagon anything, and he was in much more pain than during the bloody battle with Benedict.

- Khu khu ku!

Elagon swirled in the air on top of Henry\'s head.

However, Henry’s pain only got worse.

A black substance that looked like it could be blood started to come out of Henry’s eyes, ears, and mouth.

Elagon stopped spinning in the air as if he had made up his mind. He spread his wings wide and hugged Henry.

“Aahhh…!”

The groans didn’t stop.

Tears continued to flow as though they came from a dripping faucet, and an unknown liquid oozed out from every hole in Henry’s body.

Despite this, Elagon calmly embraced Henry like a mother embracing her cub.

A warm, deep, blue-green light started to emanate from Elagon.

* * *

Right after consuming the Black Tear, Henry’s mind went blank as his eyes rolled back.

It was the first time Henry had ever experienced this kind of pain.

It was far more painful than the near-lethal dose of Miracle Blue or Pracia’s Death, the deadly poison that he had been forced to take in his previous life.

However, Henry had chosen to do this, so there was no one else to blame.

‘Please, please hurry…!’

He couldn’t lose consciousness, because he wouldn’t be able to control the Black Tear and it would run wildlike a madman.

So Henry gritted his teeth and endured it, patiently waiting for his Circle to automatically rise from the increase in mana, just like when he had drank the Miracle Blue.

Henry intended to remove all the Black Tear that had spread throughout his body once that occurred, even if he had to force it out.

However, there was no sign of any Circle forming. Instead, there were masses of explosions inside his body. Only his pain increased, making Henry lose his mind.

‘I-I can’t hold on much longer…!’

It really seemed like he had reached his limit.

Henry wanted to give up–in fact,he had no choice but to give up. He felt that if it lasted any longer, he would be destroyed physically and mentally.

Soon, his body started to loosen up. He felt more pain but strangely, his mind seemed to ease.

- Khu!

Henry started to lose his hearing as if he were submerged in water, but just then, a familiar voice came through.

- Khuu!

‘That’s…?’

As soon as he recognized the voice, a green color started to envelop the world, and he suddenly felt really warm, as if he were wrapped in a blanket.

Henry didn’t know why, but he slowly came to his senses as he felt a motherly warmth around his body, replacing the heat that seemed to tear him apart.

Only then was Henry able to open his eyes and look around again.

‘Elagon! You saved me!’

Free from the pain, Henry could think clearly once more, and he could finally challenge the thing that had tortured him.

‘It\'s my turn now!’

As he concentrated, he saw something dark stirring inside of him.

It was the Black Tear.

The Black Tear wreaked havoc not only in his heart, but throughout his entire body as well.

Henry quickly rotated the Circles in his heart and manipulated the mana circulating throughout him. He started to drive the Black Tear back to his heart.

‘That’s right! A little more!’

The poison was already having a huge impact. It was also increasing the mana inside him. He was certain that his body would transform.

The fight inside of Henry continued for a while.

However, now that his Venom Heart had removed all the poisonous effects and Elagon had removed the pain, Black Tear was finally doing Henry good.

After a while, Henry’s tempestuous insides calmed down like a still lake. He had driven the Black Tear to his heart, but it didn’t mean that the Black Tear was completely calm.

However, the strength of the Black Tear gradually dissipated as time passed and only then was Henry able to smile. Henry was sure that he would be the last one standing and smiling at the end of the bloody battle.

- Khu khu!

When Henry started to smile, Elagon also started looking happy, as if he were proud of protecting his nest.

Pzzz!

A white light suddenly started to emanate from Henry. Elagon was startled and hurried away from Henry.

Ptzzz!

The light filled the room but as time passed, it slowly faded away like the setting sun.

Elagon frowned at the bright light, but soon he was able to clearly see again and he saw…

Clank.

Clankkk!

The chains scattered across the ground like rotten rope.

Henry floated in the air and his hair and clothes fluttered like a willow in the wind, surrounded by overflowing green mana.

Thud.

Henry landed back on the ground.

He looked unbelievably calm and normal for someone who had been in immense pain just moments ago.

Henry reached out and stroked Elagon’s head.

“It’s all thanks to you, Elagon.”

- Khu!

Elagon nodded vehemently. Maybe he understood what Henry said.

Elagon instinctively felt that his nest once seemed like a thatched house, but it was now more of a house made of tiles.

Henry slowly ran his hands over his face and hair. He felt refreshed and a lot more relaxed than before.

Mana overflowed inside him and Henry was no longer a 5th Circle mage.

‘Archmage, at last.’

He had finally reached the 6th Circle.