Chapter 348: May I Offer You My Body?
An unknown amount of time passed. Perhaps half an hour, an hour, or even two?
Finally, as the sunlight faded outside, the strange sensation subsided.
Shaye Shub-Niggurath exhaled, sitting up, her beautiful face contorted with hatred.
Damn it! Which bastard set this trap?
Even she, the Dark Witch, with her vast knowledge, had never encountered such a bizarre magic.
While she was sensitive to pain, the initial agony had been bearable. What truly enraged her was the subsequent reaction, the unfamiliar sensations that had coursed through her body, the feeling of being violated.
It felt like a deliberate humiliation, a cruel mockery.
Whoever had set this trap clearly had the power to kill her, yet they had chosen to defile her instead.
Her pride wouldn’t allow this.
She would make them regret sparing her life.
But who was it?
She racked her brain, trying to identify the culprit.
She had heard of a human advising Lomond, a human who apparently held a deep grudge against the Hero Squad.
He was said to be powerful and cunning. Could he be responsible?
She couldn’t think of any human mage capable of such a feat. Perhaps it was one of those… other beings.
What was his name?
Horus?
She would have Lomond arrange a meeting. She would confirm it personally.
As she plotted her revenge, she stood up, her hand brushing her flat stomach, still feeling a lingering warmth.
The memory of the experience made her blush, her anger intensifying.
She needed to clean herself up, but as she took a step, the strange sensation returned.
Her face paled.
Not again…
…
Meanwhile, at the Hero’s Residence.
Qin Chu was still absorbing the Evil God’s blood’s power.
The energy was immense.
If not for the protective barrier created by the Goddess’s Hair, he was certain the energy would have leveled the entire Residence.
And it was incredibly pure. If his body could handle it, he would have absorbed it even faster.
Not just him, but Anthea, the sapling, the Goddess’s Hair, and even the fragment of divinity, had all benefited greatly.
The sapling had grown considerably, no longer a mere sprout, but a small tree.
The Goddess’s Hair gleamed brightly. While supposedly enemies, the purified energy was beneficial even to it.
The divinity, however, had benefited the least. The divine energy within the blood had been minimal.
After the absorption, the fragment of the Authority of Desire had settled down, replenished after its recent exertion.
Anthea, however, had benefited the most.
She was a ghost, a powerful soul without a physical body.
Qin Chu had offered to find her a suitable vessel, but she had refused.
She preferred residing within his body.
But now, with the influx of energy, not only had her power increased, but her spectral form had also begun to change.
A faint light enveloped her.
Her form solidified within the light.
And as her form reached its limit, the excess energy began transforming into something else.
Bones, meridians, flesh, skin…
The Evil God’s blood had a remarkable regenerative effect.
Of course, this was only possible because its volatile will had been neutralized. Otherwise, Wadsworth’s fate would have been hers.
A low growl echoed through the room.
Shaye, unable to withstand the energy overflowing from Qin Chu, her energy form dissipating with a soft cry, retreated into his body.
She was exhausted and needed to rest.
By now, most of the energy had been absorbed, the sapling returning to Qin Chu’s body.
Even as a small tree, it refused to leave him.
The Goddess’s Hair also returned to his wrist.
Even the protective barrier dissipated.
But Qin Chu’s condition still seemed dire.
While his body no longer cracked and healed, his skin remained flushed.
The flames in his eyes had subsided, but not vanished entirely.
His breathing was heavy and ragged.
He was struggling to maintain control.
While the suppressed desire was uncomfortable, he had no choice.
In his current state, even Shaye, a pure energy being, had barely been able to withstand it. If it were Angelica or Norma…
Even Violet might not be able to handle it.
At least Shaye, being connected to him, could retreat into his body and recover.
But he wasn’t sure if Violet could recover if her energy form dissipated.
So, he forced himself to remain still, even though there were no physical restraints, fearing he would lose control if he saw the other women.
He took deep breaths, trying to calm himself, reactivating Forced Calm.
It helped, but not much.
Anything related to Evil Gods was dangerous.
Click, click…
He heard a faint sound behind him.
Like metal boots on the floor.
What was that?
He was curious. No one in the Residence wore metal boots… well, except for Anthea.
But she usually floated, or resided within his body, or perched on his shoulder. She rarely walked.
He turned around, and his breath hitched.
A small, delicate figure stood before him. Her golden hair, almost as long as her body, framed her face, her blue eyes filled with a childlike innocence.
Her slender yet toned legs were clad in silver boots, their clicking on the floor the source of the sound he had heard.
She wore battle-scarred armor, chains wrapped around it.
It was Anthea.
He felt a strange difference about her.
She seemed more real.
While always beautiful, she had usually been slightly translucent, a faint, greyish mist clinging to her.
But now, there was no mist, her skin, visible beneath her armor, smooth and delicate, her long hair swaying gently as she moved.
Suddenly, he understood.
“Anthea, you’ve… reformed your body?” he asked, his voice filled with surprise.
With so many… parasites residing within him, despite the blood’s potent energy, he had only gained one level, though his physical strength had increased significantly.
Most of the energy had been absorbed by the others, especially the sapling.
He hadn’t expected Anthea to benefit so much, to be able to reform her physical body.
A true, human body.
A faint smile touched her lips: “Yes.”
“I don’t know how it happened.”
“But it’s not complete. I need more energy to fully restore it.”
She seemed happy about it.
After all, she was a ghost.
A physical body was a novelty.
“That’s good… Congratulations…” he said, forcing a smile, then quickly turning away.
He couldn’t look at her.
Perhaps because of his current state, she seemed incredibly alluring, almost overwhelmingly so.
He feared he would lose control. Her newly formed body was likely fragile.
But her footsteps approached.
He felt the cold, hard metal of her armor against his back, her arms wrapping around his chest.
He swallowed hard: “Anthea, what are you…?”
“This is my new body. I want to… offer it to you.”
“Is that… alright?”
Chapter 349: If It’s You, I’m Willing
Is that alright?
Anthea’s soft voice echoed in his ear.
Her tone was hesitant, questioning. It was her usual demeanor.
While he had been kind to her, she was still aware of her position, a mere ghost residing within his body.
She always sought his permission.
He had given her a safe haven, had helped her recover to this extent. She felt obligated to repay him.
She had witnessed his… encounter with Shaye. Frankly, it had frightened her.
But she also sensed his current distress.
If she could help him…
She was willing.
Her soft voice made his heart pound, his breathing quickening.
He had always been fond of her, their shared experiences creating a bond between them. But he had never touched her.
Not just because she was a ghost, but also because he feared triggering any unpleasant memories.
She was the strongest Valkyrie of a thousand years ago.
The Valkyrie who had defended the nation.
With her strength and charisma, she had led a ragtag army, repelling the invaders who had reached the Imperial City, restoring peace to the land.
That war had crippled several nations, leaving them unable to challenge the Empire.
But the Emperor, fearing her power and captivated by her beauty, had wanted her as his consort.
After she refused, he had orchestrated her downfall: a banquet, poison, capture, burning at the stake, her soul sealed.
Her vibrant, tragic life had ended in flames.
Qin Chu took a deep breath: “Anthea, do you know what you’re saying?”
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“If it’s you… I’m not afraid.”
After a brief pause, a sly smile touched her lips: “Or would you prefer I offer it to someone else?”
It seemed that with a physical body, her emotions had become more… expressive.
His mind went blank.
Offer it to someone else?
Was she joking?
He would kill that man.
He couldn’t control himself any longer. He spun around, pulling her close, his lips finding hers.
…
After Shaye and Anthea’s… ministrations, the fire within him finally subsided.
Shaye had retreated into his body, exhausted, unlikely to reappear anytime soon.
Anthea was asleep.
Her newly formed body was still fragile, and his… enthusiasm had been a bit much for her.
And this was probably the first time in a thousand years that she had slept.
He covered her with a blanket and left the room.
Downstairs, Ekaterina and Sylph were waiting. They had a report for him, but they had waited until he was… available.
Seeing him, their eyes lit up slightly.
They sensed a change in him, a subtle but undeniable shift.
Athena also descended the stairs, finally awake.
“What’s happening with Loseweisse?” he asked Sylph, sitting down.
Getting down to business.
Sylph cleared her throat: “Loseweisse… she’s different now.”
“She’s acting like the Pope, ordering me and Ekaterina around like we’re her servants.”
Qin Chu smiled. For the proud Sylph, this was undoubtedly irritating.
“She’s deliberately spreading rumors about the Hero Squad planning to attack you and resurrect the First Hero, trying to mislead Augustus,” Sylph explained, shrugging. “Augustus seems to have fallen for it.”
Ekaterina nodded: “Augustus also seems… different. Sometimes, he emanates a disturbing aura.”
“And while Loseweisse claims it’s a deception, I suspect she might actually try to… harm you… or at least those close to you.”
She glanced at Angelica, who was preparing dinner in the kitchen.
She was clearly worried about Angelica, knowing Loseweisse resented her the most.
After all, seeing a lowly maid replacing her as the Hero’s favorite… it must have been a blow to Loseweisse’s pride.
Previously, lacking the power and influence, she had been forced to endure it.
But now, with her increased standing within the Holy See, she might act rashly.
Qin Chu’s face hardened.
Then, Athena’s expression changed, her hand going to her ear, her brow furrowed.
After a moment, she opened her eyes, looking at Qin Chu: “Loseweisse has confirmed the location of another soul fragment.”
“She wants me to discuss it with her.”
Compared to the newly recruited members within the Holy See, Loseweisse still seemed to trust the former Hero Squad members more, even though she now saw them as her subordinates.
Ekaterina didn’t react.
Sylph’s eyes flickered, then she regained her composure.
Qin Chu tapped his fingers on the armrest: “Go.”
“Be careful.”
Athena nodded and left.
Qin Chu stood up, glancing at Sylph, Ekaterina, and Heloise, who had just entered: “Stay in the Residence. Don’t go out unless necessary.”
“Things are about to get messy in the Imperial City.”
…
Qin Chu walked towards the commoner district.
Candice’s bar was closed, but it didn’t stop him. He easily entered through the back door.
Candice, pacing anxiously, seeing him, breathed a sigh of relief: “Horus, you’re finally here.”
Qin Chu sighed inwardly.
Horus was an alias.
While she knew his true identity, she still called him Horus. The name clearly held a different meaning for her.
“I tried contacting you this morning, but you didn’t respond.”
“I gave up after two attempts, assuming you were busy with something important.”
“Is there any news from the Demon Beasts?” he asked, not bothering to explain. What could he say? I was busy with Shaye and Anthea. I didn’t have time for you.
She would be furious.
Candice’s face turned serious: “Three things. First, Lomond reports that the Third Demon Beast Prince is planning a large-scale attack on human territory.”
“He once offended Shaye, the Dark Witch, who sealed his power and hung him from a tower for three days and three nights. He’s been a shadow of his former self ever since.”
“But now, with the Second Prince missing, presumed dead, and Diabolique also dead, he’s feeling confident again… He needs a war to prove himself.”
Qin Chu smiled. Let them fight.
The more chaotic the situation, the more valuable he, the Hero, became.
“And the second thing…?”
“Lomond’s sister, Atreus, seems to be interested in you, Horus,” Candice said, her voice laced with displeasure. Horus was hers. How dare Atreus try to steal him?
“Atreus?” He frowned, trying to recall her, but he couldn’t.
Perhaps he had killed her during the war.
“She’s… unusual. Despite being a Demon Beast, she has no interest in them, preferring human men. She often kidnaps handsome young men from the human world, keeping them in her palace for… entertainment.”
“A strong man, upon entering her palace, lasts no more than seven days. When they’re released, they’re practically… husks.”
Damn.
Qin Chu frowned. Being targeted by someone like that wasn’t pleasant.
“And the third thing?”
“The Dark Witch, Shaye Shub-Niggurath, has left her seclusion.”
Already? That was fast. Unlikely.
That was a bombshell. His eyes narrowed. So, there was another Shaye Shub-Niggurath.
But this one wouldn’t be as accommodating as the one residing within him.
Well, it didn’t matter. She wouldn’t find him so easily.
