False Rebirth
The Thunder Emperor of the Dark Heavens coughed up blood and staggered back several steps. When he lifted the hand pressed to his abdomen, it came away drenched in crimson.
A deep sword gash ran horizontally across his stomach. Had he pulled his foot back even an instant later, his upper and lower body would have been severed completely—just like the conclusion of their previous battle.
Regeneration has slowed.
Regina’s lightning interfered with wound recovery. This remained true even though the Thunder Emperor himself held immunity to his own lightning.
It was an ability that defied common sense and logic.
He had even witnessed a sight he could not believe.
I clearly held the advantage.
After his defeat to Regina in their last clash, he had received even greater power from the Outer Gods. The volume of lightning surging from his mana heart approached infinity, and the output he could unleash through his body had risen dramatically.
The technique he had designed around that power was Honcheon Thunder Realm—a lightning prison that inflicted continuous damage on every enemy within range while preventing escape.
I believed it would work on anyone except the Demon King and the Mad Dragon currently fighting in the sky above.
It had been dismantled perfectly. By the same demon girl who had handed him defeat in the north last time.
Even after watching the method with his own eyes, he still could not accept it.
She absorbed my lightning and used it against me?
During the activation of Honcheon Thunder Realm, which constantly radiated lightning energy, Regina had drawn every ounce of it into her own body. He had expected her to be torn apart and killed within moments, yet she had absorbed his power and dealt him a devastating counter-blow.
But.
It is not over yet.
Even a slightly deeper cut would have bisected her. Still, Regina had suffered grievous wounds of her own. Blood poured from her entire body, and the agony of taking the full force of Honcheon Thunder Realm with her bare flesh left her mind barely functional.
“Muuueeeng….”
I must end this here.
This woman had learned a technique in this battle that allowed her to absorb the very source of his power—lightning energy—and claim it as her own. If he let her live now, she would be reborn as an existence the Thunder Emperor could never defeat.
He raised his greatsword once more. Though she staggered and barely remained upright, her upper body hung limp and her head refused to lift. Cutting off her breath would be simple.
Easy.
Just as he swung the blade down, a tremendous BOOM echoed from the highest reaches of the sky beyond the storm clouds.
“…Seiar.”
The Mad Dragon, covered in wounds, descended in what looked like a controlled fall and landed directly behind the Thunder Emperor. Panting heavily, she spat out a single excited phrase.
“Hey. Let’s bounce.”
“…What about the Demon King?”
“I sent him flying pretty far. But he’ll probably be back soon. What now?”
So even Seiar could not handle the Demon King after all. The Thunder Emperor frowned slightly and spoke.
“We have not yet secured the Goddess’s Tear.”
“Goddess’s Tear? What was that again?”
“…Our objective. The Goddess’s divine artifact.”
“Oh, right. Should we just give up on that? The Demon King fights like a monster.”
They needed to run. Seiar rambled, clearly distracted. The Thunder Emperor sighed, raised his greatsword overhead, and declared, “We finish this girl first.”
“I said no. I want to go home and wash. Sweat keeps sticking to my chest scales. Keep stalling and I’m leaving without you.”
…Did dragons even sweat?
Ignoring her, he brought the greatsword down. He truly believed it was over.
Chains erupted from a magic circle that formed behind the Thunder Emperor and clamped onto his blade with a resounding clang.
“…Succubus Queen. You dare interfere.”
“Do I look like I care when I’m protecting my daughter?”
The Succubus Queen had finished dealing with both disciples and now stood in his way. She was not uninjured, but her condition appeared far better than the Thunder Emperor’s.
Should I abandon this?
She had never been an easy opponent to begin with. With his current body, finishing her before the Demon King returned was nearly impossible. Even with Seiar’s help it would be simple, yet this madwoman clearly just wanted to leave.
Besides, asking anything from her was absurd.
“…Damn it. Why did the Demon King come here at all?”
They should have launched a surprise attack on the undefended Succubus Mansion, killed the Succubus Queen, and claimed the Goddess’s Tear. Where had the information leaked? Could one of the disciples be a traitor…?
Seiar, overhearing his mutter, widened her eyes and answered with perfect nonchalance.
“Huh? I told him.”
“…What?”
“You said I could do whatever I wanted, right? So I told him we’d be coming today and that he should get ready.”
The Thunder Emperor ground his teeth so hard they creaked.
“…It was my mistake to include such a crazy woman in the plan.”
“Huh? Yeah. Probably? I think so?”
“We’re retreating. Open the rift—”
The moment the Thunder Emperor retrieved his sword and turned, a sickening crack echoed.
“…What?”
It was not the sound of bones breaking. It felt closer to bones being forcibly reshaped.
Crack. Craaack—!
The noise came from Regina, who was only half-conscious.
“…I’m sorry.”
“What?”
Her eyes were unfocused as she mumbled.
“I’m sorry….”
Craaaack! Riiip!
Her arms and legs twisted grotesquely, then restored themselves—far longer than before. The change did not stop at length. The already firm muscles throughout her body grew tougher, denser, and more powerful. Her black hair, once reaching only her waist, lengthened until it swayed against her buttocks.
Her clothes, already reduced to rags, could not keep up with her enlarged frame. They now barely covered her most vital areas, leaving the rest of her vastly more sensual and graceful figure completely exposed.
Her height….
She had grown. The girl who had barely reached his chest now stood tall enough to look him straight in the eyes.
With half-glazed eyes, Regina continued to murmur.
“Old man… I’m sorry. I swore I would never use it again….”
“What are you—”
“My body feels too hot… I can’t hold it back anymore.”
Bone and Flesh Transformation
False Manifestation
BOOOOOOOOM—!
In the next instant, an overwhelming surge of magi erupted from her body—the power of a completed False Rebirth with every single limit removed. It was the first time her full strength had been unleashed upon this world without restraint.
“Insane…!”
Merely the release of magi created crushing pressure.
The power she displayed in the north wasn’t her limit…!
At this level, she could stand evenly against Seiar alone. Following the Hero and the Demon King, she had become the third being in the current age to reach demigod status with a mortal body.
The secret technique I perfected with Namgung Sim had actually begun from simple curiosity.
If Morph lets me change the size and shape of my body….
It meant I could freely manipulate bones, muscles, the twelve principal meridians, the eight extraordinary vessels, and every acupoint at will.
The only reason I could not use my full power in reality was that my physical vessel could not keep up with the rank and volume of my magi.
In other words, if I could simply complete the body, I would be able to unleash everything.
What if I used Morph to forcibly trigger a phenomenon similar to true rebirth and forged a completed physique? Couldn’t I then release my full power even in my real body?
“It seems worth attempting. Your words hold considerable logic.”
That had been Namgung Sim’s reply.
From that day onward, we spent nearly two weeks discussing exactly what form I should transform my body into using Morph.
“The arms and legs absolutely must be longer. What do you think about making me around five meters tall?”
“This young master also approves of increasing the proportions. Your arms and legs are far too short. However, what is this ‘five meters’ you speak of?”
We began with basic structural design.
“It would be better to widen the meridians further.”
“No, this hurts like hell. Are you going to feel the pain in my place?”
“Even so, since we are doing this, is it not proper to forge a perfect physique? It is pain that must be endured.”
We tore apart and reforged every meridian and acupoint inside my body, repeating the tempering process again and again.
Namgung Sim, who had started half-heartedly, eventually grew genuinely interested and began offering serious input.
The final product could truly be called the ultimate crystallization of martial arts.
“It would be best not to use it.”
“Why? You said it turned out well.”
“The result is satisfactory… yet the duration will be extremely short, and the burden on your body will be severe.”
“Oh my god. Are you actually worrying about me right now? Lena is moved! Lena is tearing up!”
“…Do as you please.”
After that conversation, Namgung Sim lost all interest in the technique. He had judged it unsuitable for real combat.
But I saw it differently.
Using this fake rebirth will cause fewer side effects than releasing my limit with my current body.
Of course, having no side effects at all would be ideal. That was why I had kept it as my final secret move—something I swore I would never use unless the situation left me no choice.
“Old man… I’m sorry. I promised I would never use it again.”
Watching the Thunder Emperor pant harshly, somehow enduring the pain as he swung his greatsword toward me, and seeing the pure-white dragon behind him radiating terrifying power…
My body is getting hot.
My lower abdomen throbbed with unbearable pain.
I just couldn’t hold it back anymore.