After his conversation with Dante, John exited the room and took a moment to look at the family of the Baron. Each and every single member was as obese as could be, and John couldn't bear to look at the disgusting sight in front of him. He turned his head away and addressed one of the Baron's knights, his tone as cold as ice.
"Have all of them sold into slavery. There's no point in spilling unnecessary bloodshed," John commanded. "However, as of today, the name Ulvar shall be erased from the north, and only its legacy as the family of a traitor shall remain. Also, aside from what is necessary, distribute all the food and gold to the nearby villages. The Grand Duke will likely send someone as the administrator for this place, so hold off until then."
Once he was done speaking, John started to walk with Nicholas, Hans, and Friedrich following closely behind him. However, not even ten steps later, John came to an abrupt halt, and a cruel grin spread across his face as he turned around to address the knight.
"Also, I will be passing through here again in the next few months," John said with a menacing tone. "And if I see anything even a little bit odd... you know what's coming, right?"
"Yes, sir," the knight replied, his entire body shuddering at the sight of the smiling prince.
"Good. Let's leave. We don't have a lot of time," John said, completely ignoring the protests of the Baron's family.
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After the matter with the Baron was dealt with, John and the rest of the group set off quickly. Throughout the entire ride, John could be seen sitting with his legs crossed and his eyes tightly shut. It was already time for the sun to set, and the others were setting up camp inside the dense forest. John, however, sat on the stump of a tree that Nicholas had chopped down, his feet crossed and his eyes still closed, his breathing unstable.
"Almost there, just a little more," John muttered under his breath. Inside his body, the changes that had previously only shown signs had now started to grow larger. His core was on the verge of forming, and his body had been passively gathering mana and divine energy while he was unconscious, just enough to keep him from being devoured whole by the chaos. Now, the combined amount of mana and divine energy had reached a critical level, and they could coerce the chaos into forming his core.
"Kid, you're almost there, just a little more and you will have formed your core... just a little further," Pallas, said within John's conscience. He could sense that John was mere hours away from forming his core, something that had never been seen before in history.
This was obviously the case, as no one in history had ever formed a core or anything similar in such a hybrid or dysfunctional method. The ranking system of dragons and titans, the full body core of a human, and three different types of energies - if the previous dragon and titan lords didn't support such a thing, one would call the person attempting it crazy. But even with their support, it was still absolute madness.
"Now, pull them all in, John. You have a perfect ratio right now," Kostas, screamed, sensing that the time to actually form the core was now. John clenched his teeth in pain as he concentrated with all his might, pulling in the mana, divine energy, and chaotic energy, trying to form his core in a way that had never been done before.
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John's agonizing screams echoed through the forest as his body convulsed in unnatural ways, contorted limbs twisting and jerking with grotesque snaps and pops. Blood spurted from every orifice, pooling beneath him in a crimson puddle. He gritted his teeth, his eyes wide open and unblinking, determined not to lose consciousness. The pain was excruciating, overwhelming every sense and thought.
Hans gaped at the gruesome spectacle before him, a look of horror etched on his face. "What's happening to him?" he asked, his voice trembling with concern.
Nicholas turned away from John, unable to bear the sight any longer. "He's forming his core," he replied grimly. "It's never easy, but the larger the core, the more dangerous and painful it is."
Friedrich arrived on the scene, his eyes widening in shock as he saw the state of John's body. "How big of a core is he forming?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Nicholas shook his head. "I don't know, but this is beyond anything I've ever seen. He's the craziest bastard I've ever met."
With a heavy sigh, Nicholas ordered the others to leave. "We need to stay away for the next few hours," he said firmly. "Our presence could distract him. Friedrich and I will secure the area. Hans, stay close enough to keep an eye on him but far enough not to disturb him."
Friedrich saluted and ran back to the center of camp, while Hans walked a few minutes away from John, his heart heavy with worry. As he watched from a distance, the forest grew quiet, the only sound the sickening crunch of bones breaking and the gurgling of blood. John's body twisted and writhed as if trying to break free from its own skin.
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John's screams grew in intensity, echoing through the camp as his body contorted in grotesque ways. The circuits forming inside him were more intricate and complex than expected, causing his internal structure to change drastically. The black streaks that had spread up his neck started to recede, stopping just below his left shoulder.
The pain intensified to an unbearable level, and John began to pull at his hair in a futile attempt to numb the agony. But the itching only grew worse, causing him to tear at his clothes in a frenzy, hoping to alleviate the maddening sensation. Bones cracked audibly, and John's body twisted in unnatural angles, blood seeping from his skin as the pain and itching continued to escalate. He couldn't hold back the vomit that rose in his throat, adding to the gore that now covered his entire body and the surrounding area.
Hours passed, and John sat motionless on a wooden stump, his body a bloody mess. He uttered a breathless sigh, finally succumbing to unconsciousness.
Meanwhile, within John's conscience, Pallas and Kostas stood in shock, their jaws agape.
"That fucking bastard did it...and he didn't pass out," Pallas cursed, holding his jaw in disbelief.
"Shit," Kostas muttered, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"Did you just curse, ape bastard?" Pallas laughed, pointing at Kostas.
Kostas shook his head. "I'm just that shocked right now...honestly, I was not expecting him to be able to do this."
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Just as John's limp body began to fall, Hans noticed and sprinted towards the unconscious prince.
"Your Highness!!!" Hans screamed, running towards John. When he reached him, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Sir Nicholas, Sir Friedrich, please come quickly! His majesty has passed out!"