CHAPTER 141: | RETURN OF THE DISTORTED EMPEROR

  ---

  "Finally... after countless errors and trials! Finally, this form that was beyond saving is complete! I-I've failed hundreds of times! I've repeated the process thousands of times! Only to succeed this wonderfully and complete it in exactly a year! To repair this form that was better off decomposing in the middle of nowhere! Huhuhuhu!" I couldn't help but shout in exasperation. What I said was merely a summary of the hellish repeats I’ve experienced these past twelve months.

  Carefully grafting the flesh of these overseers, thousands of times over and over, to create artificial organs for this body to function properly! Was purely torture fot me who wanted nothing but leisure. Just remembering the moment when I reattaching my core to its head, only to be rejected from time to time fried my nonexistent brain for months. I failed again and again due to miscalculations, due to the misalignment of the structure.

  Especially when I grafted the heart. That was the hardest part. I had to tune it to the Sacred Earth so that not only red blood cells would flow into my veins, but also the very essence of the earth itself. I needed to imbue my body with it once I reattached my core in this thick skull, which I had augmented with the carapace of the Cereum Beetle.

  This augmentation increased its capabilities to absorb impact, both physical and magical, while preventing penetrative attacks that could pincer my core in a single blow. That would decide the battle in one decisive blow. While it was a pity that I’ve deformed my handsome face with that addition, I was satisfied with the extra defense it provided. I could just reshape my skull later.

  So now, it was time for me to return to my body before Samantha threw another tantrum asking for books. I didn't have any except the Golden Maiden Scripture, which I treasured the most due to the insights and theories that Liora had pondered upon. It was off-limits for her, not because I didn't trust her or feared she’d destroy it, but because her mind wouldn't be able to comprehend the content, leaving her more frustrated than before.

  I sighed, letting go of my control on the sand sculpture holding my core. I let it hover in the currents for a few moments before I slowly maneuvered my way into the corpse's head.

  SCHLICK... CRACK... SQUELCH!

  The skull split open once my core made contact. Small tendrils began to slowly crept up, latching onto my core like leeches eager to suck blood. They fused in a grotesque manner until my core was covered with crimson veins that began to pulse, looking like worms wriggling inside my body.

  In the next moment, it eerily pulled my core inside my head. The split in my face began to close in a disturbing, knitting motion.

  I waited for my core to settle in the darkness that consumed me. I tried to move my arms without the assistance of my mana, but I couldn't. This body was practically a corpse without a beating heart.

  So, I siphoned my mana toward the artificial heart that settled in my chest. It was extremely inefficient right now, but I didn't care. I coagulated the gathered mana into a slender hand that seized my heart, gently squeezing it and letting go repeatedly. I coated all the red blood cells in my veins with mana, forcing them to move, to simulating how a body should function.

  I watched the process until I noticed my body slowly regaining its heat. I moved the muscles in my lips, smiling softly. And I slowly began to open my eyelids...

  Fwoosh!

  Before I could fully open them, my heart was burned to ash. My smoldering blood, which was basically magma itself, incinerated the organ.

  But I didn't care. As I immediately transformed the mana-hand into a solidified heart to take the function of the fleshy one. I forced it to beat harder and harder until my body regained a fraction of its strength. I focused all my regenerative power into work, its sole task to recreate my heart and other organs that had begun to fail due to the magma flowing in my veins.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Then, I closed my eyes to conserve energy and await the recovery of my major organs. Just like that, days seemed to skip by. And a month passed.

  I had recovered my body to some degree. I could move, but with my body this weakened, I couldn't possibly hunt. I couldn't even stand due to the lack of energy, let alone crawl to eat the rotting flesh of the Overseers for sustenance.

  So I waited for Samantha to visit. And speak of the devil. I could see her in my field of perception, slowly coming toward me. But then, she halted her steps. She turned her back and whispered softly.

  "Hmm... I guess Alister is quite busy right now. Maybe I should visit next time?"

  I panicked. I was terrified of Samantha turning her back and leaving me in this rot for a few more months. I mustered every ounce of my strength and let out a coarse shout that sounded like Hell itself was recruiting another batch of sinful souls.

  "S-Saman... S-Samantha!"

  Samantha freaked out at the dreadful voice. She looked around, fear visible in her eyes, but upon realizing that only the two of us were in here, she rushed in without batting an eye. She was worried that Alister, the very man who didn't even need help when fighting Lumicor, was calling for her so pathetically.

  Her steps quickened, then halted abruptly. She gazed at the man laying on the table, trembling uncontrollably. Samantha clenched her teeth, following his gaze to his hands, which were pointing at the rotting corpses of the Overseers. I was begging her to feed me those things.

  Samantha felt pity, clenching her fist until it bled. She couldn't leave this vulnerable man alone so that she could hunt. She resolved herself, grabbing a chunk of flesh with maggots wriggling in the greenish meat. Her hands trembled. She wanted to vomit at the sight, hesitating as she murmured.

  "M-Must you eat this maggot-infested flesh, Alister?!" She was alarmed, but I forced myself to nod. Samantha clenched her teeth until her gums bled, as she turned her head in the opposite direction while she fed me. Filled with disgust, she trembled, gagging as she couldn't stomach the situation. But I merely opened my mouth and bit into the rot with voracity.

  CRUNCH... SQUISH... GULP!

  Color returned to my face. I pushed my body off the stainless table, crashing onto the ground. As I crawled toward the carcasses without hesitation. Once I grabbed the flesh, I tore into it without mercy. And my body slowly recovered with every bite.

  Meanwhile, Samantha stood in the corner, gagging uncontrollably, vomiting with tears in her eyes, shouted. "Dammit! Dammit! Why am I still useless after all this time? Why can't I just do anything right for once?!" Her screams echoed in the hallways, raw and guttural. Her voice was filled with desperation and grief over feeding me that filth. She felt guilty that I was shouldering it all without expecting anyone to help.

  If only she had gotten here faster... If only she was strong enough... Would her beloved suffer this injustice? Would he have to eat this maggot-infested meat? Would he endure this isolation where he couldn't rely on anyone but himself?

  To carry it all on his broad back, the pain, the insanity that crept into his head the moment he ate those things, the time he spent alone in this place, all because she was frustrated at him. Samantha cried. She blamed herself for the things her beloved suffered. She cried and cried until a comforting hand touched her.

  I whispered coarsely. "I don't blame you for being late... Instead, I am grateful that you decided to come even when you're frustrated with this foolish man... I-I am happy that you didn't abandon me nor kill me. And I... I am grateful that you love me...."

  Tears welled up. It was something that should be impossible to happen to none other than Alister Von Fai, but it happened nonetheless due to the circumstances of the situation. Tears dripped down my cheeks as I silently cried in happiness. It wasn't an act to fool anyone, these were genuine cries at the care I received. I was slowly gaining the emotions I needed. It was the profound emotion of love, but it didn't blossom fully yet, I knew I needed to undergo thousands of trials before I could truly understand it.

  I caressed Samantha’s cheeks gently, whispering softly. "Don't cry, Samantha... I hate it more than eating those things. I wanted you to only smile at me, bask me with your lovely smile. So please don't cry... i-it breaks my heart to see you cry, so please stop..."

  Samantha burrowed her face into my chest, filled with scars, and sobbed harder. She couldn't believe that this sweet man’s first words were of gratitude that she loved him and didn't murder him. It was heartbreaking to hear that he had already expected that grim scenery. He comforted her for the guilt eating at her in such a sweet way. Even though he was weakened, he still cared for her to the point of ignoring his own condition, ignoring the high fever inflicting his body.

  She was saddened by the situation. Samantha clenched her teeth yet again, wiped her tears, and stood up. She carried me to her quarters, whispering bravely. "I-I will take care of you! So let me handle these things and don't you dare move or I... I.... waaaaa...."

  I smiled at her caring words and let out a chuckle. But instead of getting flustered, Samantha glared at me and shouted.

  "Stop overexerting yourself, you attention-seeker whore!"