Level Eater

In the face of the enormous Crimson Tiger, most individuals were overwhelmed. However, two figures, who had transformed into their "true forms" to protect Tatsuro and Ai, and the duo of Marikka and Yorn, were vigilant, not missing a single move.

Amidst this, Marikka recognized the monster before her.

"That is… the Blood Mist Tiger, Iarouris?" (Marikka Shurjaniemi)

"Hmm, you know about it. As expected of someone like you." (Gregory)

"Don't lump me in with the likes of you." (Marikka Shurjaniemi)

Marikka spat out these words, glaring at Gregory. Finally, Tatsuro and the others snapped back to reality, questioning the meaning behind Marikka's earlier words.

"Marikka, do you know about that monster?" (Tatsuro)

"…If that man said it's Iarouris, then I know a bit. But…" (Marikka Shurjaniemi)

"But?" (Tatsuro)

"Iarouris, the monster he mentioned, was a creature that fought against dragonkind and was annihilated tens of thousands of years ago. It can't exist in the present." (Marikka Shurjaniemi)

"But wait, before you talk about this Iaro-whatever, that kid is Ennio!" (Ai)

"Yes, I saw the transformation myself, so I'm sure about that, but…" (Marikka Shurjaniemi)

Marikka spoke reluctantly, and Gregory looked down at her with a smug expression, as if saying, "You won't understand, simpleton." Moreover, there was a look on his face that seemed eager to share something with someone.

Therefore, Tatsuro, holding onto a glimmer of hope, decided to ask boldly.

"You manipulate it so skillfully, yet you don't make baseless accusations, Gregory!" (Tatsuro)

"Hahaha, exactly. I was a bit anxious earlier, thinking someone might disturb Ennio's modification before it was complete, but it turned out quite well." (Gregory)

While saying this, Gregory confidently patted the beast standing beside him. He had been hitting it quite forcefully, but the Crimson Tiger remained calm and unfazed.

"Modification…? What do you mean?" (Tatsuro)

"Just as it sounds. Using the material called Ennio, I craft a powerful monster!" (Gregory)

With a sense of superiority, Gregory began to elaborate, speaking grandiosely, as if this were his moment to make an announcement.

The story begins with Gregory's great-grandfather, who, after taming creatures with skills, felt that he couldn't become stronger as a tamer with just creatures and animals that could be tamed using skills. His great-grandfather initially tried to evolve the creatures he tamed into more powerful beings, but the research proved difficult, progressing slowly. Eventually, the responsibility was passed on to his son, who, unable to achieve evolution, gave up and started searching for a way to enable even more powerful taming.

Finally, by binding a contract using his blood, from the smallest drop to the essence, he succeeded in making creatures taller than himself obedient. However, this process required a significant amount of blood injection into the target, making it impractical for creatures taller than the user. The researcher, along with a substantial amount of his own blood, eventually passed away, leaving the research to his child.

The child, inheriting the research, focused on regression rather than evolution. In a world with various races, some individuals could trace their lineage back to powerful creatures. The child intentionally induced ancestral reversion in these individuals, using the opportunity to gradually perform both physical modification and blood contracts.

After many years, in different places and with different people, Gregory finally succeeded. The result was the child of Sitomen's base material.

The child of the Paralaceus base material.

Success in creating three children, including the child of the Iarouris base material.

Overwhelming ancestral reversion often led to neglect or resentment, making it easy for them to be taken in by sympathetic parents.

While caring for them, efforts were made to create a favorable environment for contracting. This involved stimulating the genes revealed by ancestral reversion, injecting a small amount of blood to enable powerful contracts, and providing stimuli to induce further ancestral reversion, ultimately regressing to the appearance of ancestors. This process involved administering various drugs over many years for physical modification and only recently achieving a state where it could be done at any time.

By the way, Sitomen's base material was not responsive to contracts with a normal body.

To the most crucial question for Tatsuro and the others — whether Ennio could be returned to his original state — the answer was that once ancestral reversion occurred, the original genes were completely overwritten, making it impossible to revert.

In other words, Ennio could no longer return to being human.

"So, because of your obsession and your ancestors, Ennio was forcibly brought into a state of ancestral reversion, and now he has been made to look like that?" (Ai)

"The wording is malicious, but it's mostly accurate. This research will be the hope of many Tamers. Sacrifices are necessary for honor. There's no problem with that." (Gregory)

"There is a problem!" (Ai)

"That's right! Hope for Tamers? Such a filthy hope is nothing to be proud of!" (Marikka Shurjaniemi)

Angry, Ai and Marikka were met with a shrug and a sneer from Gregory.

"I believe it was Marikka Shurjaniemi. Well, someone like you probably doesn't need my research. Endowed with a good race, and most likely good initial skills too, right? Look at that sub-dragon over there. To ordinary Tamers, it's a monster they can never reach. And you three, just weaklings enjoying the talents you were born with, right? Can you deny that? Even if you, weaklings, preach to me, it lacks persuasiveness!" (Gregory)

At this point, Joaquin, the vice-captain who had been silently observing the situation, spoke.

"I'm just an ordinary person too. But, unlike you, I've never thought of wanting to become stronger at the expense of someone's sacrifice."

"Humph, that's why you're just the vice-captain. If you were favored by the system, you might have become not just the captain of Lyadas' knights, but even the king's close aide. Those around the king now, just like those weaklings here, were blessed with talent from the beginning. Can a commoner fill that gap? To bridge it, you need a strong heart, indifferent to a little sacrifice!" (Gregory)

"Yeah, maybe. Certainly, that might be the case. But if it comes to that, it's the end of humanity. It's too shameful; I can't do it."

"Well, that's true. It won't resonate with foolish ones lacking ambition. So, I suppose we're done here. I must take over this town as soon as possible to make my research widely known." (Gregory)

Taking out a pocket watch as if his business was finished, Gregory gazed at the tower where the lord was. However, his words were quite dangerous.

If someone with Gregory's ideology were to learn about this research, they would undoubtedly attempt it with other races. If that happened, the number of casualties would be far beyond the current situation.

"We can't let such research see the light of day! Just think about how many people will be hurt because of this!" (Tatsuro)

"The debate is over. From now on, you can say whatever you want in the afterlife. Do it, En… No, Iarouris." (Gregory)

"Uuuu… Grrrr…" (Ennio)

When Gregory gave the order, the former Ennio, now Iarouris, raised his arm in front of Tatsuro.

"Wait!" (Ai)

"Gau…" (Ennio)

However, as Ai barely stopped it, the mist-like figure wavered, and it returned to its original position.

"What was that just now…?" (Ai)

"When I was researching ancient species in the past, the Wise Dragon showed me some materials, and it seems that's the cause of what is called the Blood Mist Tiger. It can make its red body mist-like, and by the time you notice, your opponent is already dead. It seems to be that kind of skill. Ai-chan, you reacted well." (Marikka Shurjaniemi)

"Well, I specialize in that kind of thing. But it was a bit dangerous. It felt like instant teleportation. Could it be done with living magic, sending consciousness?" (Ai)

"With that condition, it seems that even the presence or absence of consciousness is constrained, so I think it's impossible." (Marikka Shurjaniemi)

It seemed that the strategy of incapacitating through fainting and then neutralizing through Gregory wouldn't work.

So, they needed to go for a simpler approach.

{Ai, I'm thinking of nullifying Gregory's skill. Can you protect me in the meantime?} (Tatsuro)

{Not Ennio, but Gregory?} (Ai)

{Yeah. If we eliminate the skill binding Ennio with the Tamer's skill, and if we make the contract ineffective, then we should be able to bind Ennio forcibly by using living magic to send his consciousness. That's the plan.} (Tatsuro)

{I see. But why not just ignore Ennio and attack Gregory instead?} (Ai)

{With [Level Eater] it should be invisible, so it should be fine. However, with other attacks, there's a chance he might shield Gregory at the last moment, so I'd rather not risk it.} (Tatsuro)

Recalling how he protected himself with his own monsters while she was dealing with Sitomen, Ai understood that Gregory would definitely put himself in harm's way if there was a threat.

{Alright, then I'll leave Ennio to you for a while.} (Tatsuro)

{Got it!} (Ai)

"Cardina, I'm counting on you to protect Ai. Jeanne, guard me and also support Ai. Can you do it?" (Tatsuro)

"Pyuii!" (Cardina)

"Neigh!" (Jeanne)

With the overflow of power from the [True Form] and the increase in level from the recent battle, both of them nodded confidently with expressions filled with assurance.

"I'll also help." (Marikka Shurjaniemi)

"As for me… I couldn't see through the last attack, so I'll stay in the rear. I don't want to lose any more subordinates…"

While saying that, Tatsuro grimaced as he looked at several subordinates who were easily torn apart like tofu.

He realized that if he intervened now, he would only be a hindrance, as he painfully understood from the previous attack.

Thus, Tatsuro began preparing to use [Level Eater].

Gregory himself, however, moved around Ennio as if he were in perfect sync. The black ball, which moved in a straight line and at a slow speed, wouldn't hit him.

Therefore, a plan was needed to approach Gregory without being noticed.

With that, the battle commenced. First, Ennio made the initial move.

Misting his crimson body, he appeared again in front of Tatsuro, raising the two sword-like fangs towards his head.

"Oh! Why is it attacking Tatsuro first?!" (Ai)

"Isn't it because I have the least durability among us, and my magic is troublesome?" (Tatsuro)

Having effortlessly caught a serious surprise attack using skills for the first time, Ai naturally evaded the intended target. Gregory expected Ai to be out of reach, and by hitting Tatsuro first, he aimed to overturn the situation. Furthermore, by killing Tatsuro, he anticipated that Ai, the two monsters, and even Marikka would be disturbed to some extent.

Tatsuro had roughly expected this, but having giant fangs thrust toward him repeatedly was mentally distressing.

However, trusting Ai, Cardina, and Jeanne completely, he focused on his task.

In the meantime, the only one who could challenge Ennio in a speed contest, Ai, engaged in a super-close-range battle with Ennio.

In her left hand was a gem sword, and in her right hand was the massive axe she had obtained as a trophy from the three-headed ox she fought in Obsul.

While moving in mist form, it seemed ineffective at the moment, but attacks with charged vigor seemed to inflict some damage. Taking advantage of the moment when the body was about to return to normal, she weakened the movement speed while using the gem sword to loosen his legs. When Ennio had to return to his original body during attacks, she seized the opportunity and struck him with a less powerful version of the axe's crushing attack, temporarily staggering him.

Meanwhile, Cardina remained vigilant against magical skills that could pose a danger, explored unknown monsters and traps, and supported Ai by generating magical earth clumps and throwing them at Ennio whenever he staggered from Ai's attacks. She kept her attention on providing support, demonstrating her multi-faceted abilities.

During this time, Marikka and Yorn activated the [Harmony of Coexistence] title effect for the second time today, sharing and amplifying skills. They spread plants on the ground, ensuring that they could attack Ennio from any angle, supporting Ai alongside Cardina, and considering capturing or killing Gregory.

Joaquin, who had completely shifted to rear support, used his spear to shoot vigor imbued with the piercing attribute like arrows. He commanded the two snakes and slime monsters that Gregory had stationed around him to prevent any incoming attacks.

Finally, there was Jeanne. She stood in a [True Form] state before Tatsuro, resembling a guardian statue, forming the last line of defense. Despite being a newly formed team, their shared determination to defeat Gregory enabled them to coordinate effectively.

Protected by these reliable allies, Tatsuro began to move, preparing for his next move in the battle against Gregory.

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