Chapter 20: The Legendary Werewolf! (Part 2)

What on earth is going on with this kid?
Seeing a teenager stop the attack of hundreds of Gargroths, Eivo Beric was filled with shock.
If it had been someone like the fire mage and dark mage earlier, Eivo Beric might not have been so surprised, as he had already learned from their magic that his so-called “great achievements” still had many weaknesses—intense heat from fire and the devouring power of darkness were the best ways to counter Gargroths. After all, although they were also called Gargroths, these were far from reaching the level of the legends.
You see, the legendary Gargroths possessed the power to destroy an entire army!
Yet, despite understanding this, Eivo Beric was still extremely surprised by the kid before him.
Where did a kid of this age get such powerful dark energy?
This darkness that filled him with fear and dread from the depths of his soul… pure darkness…
Had this kid made a deal with a demon? A hypothesis identical to that of the werewolf Connel popped into Eivo Beric’s mind.
What an excellent research subject…
Eivo Beric chuckled, but suddenly, his peripheral vision seemed to catch something, and his face instantly turned terrified. He screamed hysterically.
“Kid! What are you trying to do, kid?!”
He clearly saw that the girl was standing beside the werewolf, struggling to pull out the silver stake from its body.
“Do you know what you’re doing, kid?!”
Eivo Beric’s face was filled with utter terror.
Through years of research, Eivo Beric had learned from ancient alchemists’ manuscripts and notes that the power of Gargroths was not constant. Their strength depended on their werewolf form. Generally, newly born Gargroths were three to four times stronger than when they were werewolves. Perhaps it was due to some specific, unknown staff—this was a relatively stable phenomenon, neither too low nor too high.
Therefore, for research purposes, alchemists hundreds of years ago would kill the werewolf at its prime to determine the probability of Gargroth birth and the true extent of this creature’s power.

The alchemists believed that werewolves were creatures that existed between humans and wolves, endowed with power from some demonic force. Though different, werewolves were still considered intelligent living beings, possessing both human wisdom and reason as well as the instincts and intuition of beasts—making them truly remarkable creatures.

According to legend, every full moon night, if a werewolf survived after transforming, their power would grow stronger. After going through 333 full moon nights, roughly ten years, the werewolf could no longer draw power from the moon, as their strength had reached its peak.

Moreover, even werewolves could not escape the natural laws of birth, aging, sickness, and death. After reaching their prime, they would gradually lose their strength due to aging.

There was only one way to maintain peak strength…
That was to become another kind of being—a Gorgro!

With strength three to four times greater than that of a werewolf at its peak, an immortal body that inspired terror and despair, and the ability to switch between werewolf and vampire forms, the Gorgro was an immortal being that defied natural laws!

However, killing a werewolf at its peak strength and then causing it to transform into a Gorgro after death was no easy task. Not every werewolf could transform into a Gorgro after death!

Thus, hundreds of years ago, these alchemists, driven mad by their obsession with power, killed countless werewolves. They discovered that during the transformation process, the werewolf’s willpower, negative emotions such as anger and hatred, as well as pain and the desire to survive, all had a direct impact on the success of the transformation.

To address this, the alchemists developed a potion that could unleash a werewolf’s greatest potential. But the side effects caused the werewolf to go mad and violent under intense pain, turning them into beasts.

Ivo Beric was the one who discovered this potion and diluted and improved it, leading to the tragic deaths of innocent villagers. Of course, he considered this a proud achievement, as his improved potion allowed every werewolf that died to transform into a Gorgro. Though this diluted and altered potion deprived these Gorgros of their souls and reason, its strength was far from meeting the legendary standards.

At that time, due to a lack of knowledge and literature, the potions developed by the alchemists had severe side effects. Almost without the alchemists having to kill the werewolves in experiments, they would die from the intense pain caused by consuming these potions. After countless failures, only a very few successes were recorded, yet the alchemists were not satisfied with the powers possessed by these Gungro. Finally, after accumulating vast amounts of experience, the alchemists created a creation that satisfied them greatly. Although this newly born Gungro was not very powerful due to previous endless suffering and was even weaker than other “creations,” its willpower, soul strength, and the pressure it exerted on others were on a completely different level from those of other Gungro. Werewolves transformed into Gungro were no longer considered living creatures but belonged to the category of undead beings. They did not need food to survive; sufficient blood was all they required to endure forever. Realizing this, with the help of nobles, the alchemists used prisoners, war criminals, and even slaves to feed these Gungro. There is no exact figure recorded on how many people were brought here over three years to serve as food for these dozen or so Gungro. Three years later, only one of those Gungro remained… Because the alchemists only needed one “qualified” creature—of course, the strongest one. Unlike other undead beings, battles between Gungro could only be described as brutal. Since Gungro were nearly immortal, as long as they had sufficient [Blood Energy] within them, they would remain eternal. Therefore, physical combat or any other method was not very effective against them, let alone among Gungro themselves. The only options were to completely drain the opponent’s Blood Energy or simply devour them! The last remaining Gungro chose the latter… It completely devoured the other dozen or so Gungro. The emergence of this finest “creation” initially filled the alchemists with joy, but as time passed, they gradually grew terrified and desperate about their own creation.

When they realized they could no longer control this powerful Gungro, the alchemists considered destroying it—after all, they already had all the information they needed, and it served no purpose to them anymore. But to their horror and despair, no matter what methods they used, they simply couldn’t destroy their own creation… Poisons had no effect… Blades had no effect… Even silver stakes could only barely restrict its movements… After devouring other Gungros, it had become truly immortal! It was only then that the alchemists regretted and despaired over having created such a terrifying creature. In the end, they chose to bury this dungeon forever, along with the creature trapped inside… Even as the alchemists grew old, they never revealed the location of the dungeon to their apprentices or descendants… “Never let this monster, worse than a demon, be set free! — Written by Alchemist Bet Alinson.” These words were written repeatedly on the last page of the manuscript found by Ivo Beric. And all of this was unknown to Ravia. Neither now nor a few minutes ago did she know that the man before her, Jean Cornell, had once been the alchemists’ proudest creation—yet also the one that brought them despair and terror… During the time he endured the alchemists’ torture and experimentation, this werewolf went through 333 full moons. Moreover, because he had consumed countless mixed potions, his strength far surpassed that of his kind. Then, at the peak of his power, the alchemists made him drink potions that stimulated his potential, while subjecting him to relentless torture to induce negative emotions such as anger and hatred, along with a fierce desire to survive. When all this reached its climax, the alchemists killed him… He, Jean Cornell, this werewolf who had survived for hundreds of years, was different from the inferior Gungro created by Ivo Beric—there was a huge gap between them in terms of strength… “Pull… pull these out?” “Yes! Help me remove these things from this criminal, and I’ll reward you… That little brat’s power is weakening rapidly!”

“……” Hearing these words, Lavia turned back anxiously to look at the boy. She could see that the body of the Dark Bear was much less distinct than before, appearing and disappearing as if it might collapse at any moment, and its strength had diminished significantly. The dark aura that had once paralyzed Gungro could no longer trap those monsters now.
Seeing Lavia’s hesitant expression, Connel spoke in a seductive tone, “Think about it. Your strength is far inferior to that brat’s. You simply can’t handle this situation right now… Once that brat loses his power, those monsters will kill you both… If you help me remove these things, I’ll help you deal with those guys…”
“……”
“What are you hesitating about?” Connel said mockingly with a smirk, “Are you going to watch that brat get killed by a bunch of monsters?”
“No…” Lavia interrupted Connel in a panicked voice.
“Then it’s simple,” Connel moved his right arm, still encased in shackles, and pointed weakly at the silver spikes on his body, trying to tempt her, “Remove these things! Hey… I can tell you like that brat, right…”
Lavia’s face turned red instantly as she stammered, “I-I don’t!”
“Oh?” Connel laughed heartily, then shook his head and said earnestly, “Then do it for yourself… As long as you help me get free, no one will be able to hurt you! Nobody!”
“……” Lavia remained silent.
Seeming to notice her hesitation, a faint hint of anger flashed across Connel’s face as he said sternly, “What are you still hesitating about?!”
Just then, the girl in front of him suddenly raised her head and asked softly, “Are you a good person? I know you have great power, but… will you hurt others?”
“……” Looking into the girl’s clear eyes, the werewolf’s gaze showed confusion and sorrow. It was this emotion that made him feel down instantly. With a self-mocking sneer, he said, “I… I’m not a good person! Hurt others? Brat, do you think werewolves are full of kindness? Stop being ridiculous!”
Yet, this reply actually made Lavia smile mischievously and say, “Grandfather said that those who claim to be good people are usually not good; it’s those who insist they’re bad who aren’t actually bad…”

“……” For a moment, the werewolf was speechless. After a short pause, he sneered and said, “Funny words… It seems your grandfather wasn’t exactly normal either!”
“Don’t speak of my grandfather!” the girl said angrily. After that, she paused and asked hesitantly, “Can I trust you?”
“Of course! I’ve said it—once you help me get out of here, I’ll reward you. I swear it!” Connel laughed heartily, knowing that he would soon be free from this damned place.
But the girl’s reply surprised him greatly…
“I don’t need you to reward me unless you let me and him leave here safely. But…” Ravia paused, her expression suddenly becoming resolute. “Grandfather warned me that there are things in this world that one can do and things that one cannot. If you’re going to swear, then… swear that after leaving here, you’ll never harm innocent people!”
“Harm…” The werewolf was stunned. He found it hard to believe. Frowning in thought, he asked tentatively, “What if I say no?”
The girl didn’t answer, but her expression already gave the answer.
“Is that oath more important than the lives of you two brats?”
“Grandfather told me that there are many things in life more valuable than one’s own life…”
“If I say no, do you really plan to die here with that brat?”
“I… I’ll do my best…”
Looking into those eyes, as if stained red by fire, the werewolf seemed to be reminded of distant memories. With disdain, he said, “Tch! Brats are just brats—annoying little brats!” Then, glancing at the girl, he said mockingly, “Werewolves are creatures full of love, huh? Hmph! Well… as long as you don’t provoke me, I won’t hurt anyone…”
“You must swear!” Ravia reminded him seriously.
“You!” The werewolf was speechless. He glared at the girl in frustration and said, “Swear? What good is swearing? Besides… do you think werewolves believe in any gods? Do I have to swear to some demon?”
“No!” Ravia shook her head and said seriously, “You must swear to your own heart, your conscience! To your soul!”

“……” The werewolf opened his mouth but remained silent. When he saw the determination in the girl’s eyes, he said impatiently, “Okay, okay, I swear, will that do? Stop looking at me with that annoying gaze!” Then, as if remembering something, he spoke in a low, sincere tone, “I can agree to your request, but there’s one guy I absolutely must kill…”
“Your enemy?”
“Hmph,” the werewolf narrowed his eyes and said coldly, “Ah! An enemy… a mortal enemy!” He glanced at the girl and, in an inexplicably gentle tone, added, “Just this one guy is an exception, is that okay? I swear I won’t hurt anyone else! Of course, I won’t hurt them on purpose… Don’t think werewolves are kind and gentle creatures!”
“Hmm…” The girl hesitated for a moment. She felt that getting such a response was already the limit, so she nodded and said, “Alright, please…” Her single hand wasn’t even strong enough to pull it out.
Looking at the werewolf with a hint of pity, Ravia hesitated before whispering, “I’ll… I’ll pull it out. Try to bear it…”
“Mm!” The werewolf nodded. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he frowned in displeasure and said, “Stop looking at me like that! You’re such an unlovable brat!”
“Hmph!” While the werewolf was speaking, Ravia already had both hands gripping the silver stake and was pulling it out. Hearing his words, she grunted and used all her strength.
“Sssk…” The sound of the stake rubbing against flesh made Ravia shudder, but Connel didn’t show any reaction at all.
“Will it hurt?” Ravia asked softly, filled with curiosity and pity.
“You…” The werewolf looked at the girl, opened his mouth, then swallowed back what he wanted to say. Shaking his head, he said, “No, this level of pain means nothing to me. Besides, I like this feeling—it reminds me that I’m still alive…”
“You’re really strange!” The girl tilted her head and stared at the werewolf for a while before increasing her strength. With a “pop,” the silver stake in his chest was pulled out, but not a single drop of blood spilled. Almost in the blink of an eye, the wound in his chest healed.
“Surprising, right?” The werewolf said calmly as he watched the girl stare in shock at his chest. “But the price for this power is something you can’t understand at your age! Now, pull out the others!”

“Oh…” The girl nodded. Then, she pulled out one by one the silver stakes that had been inserted into every vital point of the werewolf, until only the one in his left hand remained. At that moment, Ivo Beric’s voice, filled with terror and rage, came through.
“You little brat, are you insane?! Do you know what you’re doing?!” he roared, his breath ragged. “Kill her! Kill her now!”
Along with his voice, dozens of Gungro, who were attacking the Dark Bear, suddenly turned and rushed toward the girl. By then, the Dark Bear was too weakened to offer any help.
The dozens of Gungro seemed to put immense psychological pressure on Ravia, to the point that she couldn’t pull out the last silver stake for a moment. As those dark forces drew closer, fear filled her eyes.
“Sigh…” For some reason, the werewolf’s eyes showed disappointment and regret. He let out a soft sigh, pushed the girl aside with his right hand, and struggled to stand up. Though unsteady and seemingly about to fall at any moment, he finally managed to stand straight. It was hard to believe that he had been locked in a kneeling position for hundreds of years…
“Clang, clang…” Amid the sound of the chains swinging, Jean Connel finally stood upright. What had seemed unimposing before now revealed a physique over two and a half yards tall, covered in strong muscles, full of explosive power.
“Bang, bang, bang!” A series of impacts.
Ravia couldn’t even see what was happening. The Gungro who rushed at her flew backward and crashed violently into the solid walls. She had never doubted her eyes before, but today, such things had happened twice already.
It was too fast! Too fast! Too fast for her to even see clearly.
This guy… did this guy possess the same strength as that Dark Bear?!
“It’s over… it’s really over…” Ivo Beric muttered to himself, then shouted at Ravia in utter fury, “Do you know what you’ve done? This guy will kill us all! He’ll destroy every living thing in sight! You stupid little brat!”
“Kill us all?” Ravia stared in shock at the tall, muscular werewolf.

Perhaps a single silver stake was far too weak of a restraint for Cornell, so weak that he could pull it out with his own strength. With a clatter, the last silver stake rolled across the obsidian ground, and accompanying that sound was the werewolf’s unrestrained, hearty laughter.
“Hahaha, it’s out at last! Hahaha!” His extreme excitement made not only the muscles on his shoulders tremble but also his voice.
“Finally…” The werewolf took a deep breath to calm his agitation, then smirked mischievously and said, “Kill everyone? That sounds like a good idea! Hehehe!”