Deadmeat Saga

Chapter 27 – Gift of Conquest. Threat of insanity.

When Gerhart came to his senses, he found himself in a dark space, void of all life and light.

"H-Hello?" Gerhart called out but found that he couldn't even hear himself.

Just as he was getting nervous, he heard a voice.

In the beginning, all naturally-formed life worlds are barren, molten rocks.

A brown and red ball suddenly appeared in front of Gerhart. His vision then zoomed in on the surface. Rivers of lava flowed freely, and volcanoes erupted. It looked like hell.

"All worlds? Do other worlds exist? Was my world like that, too?" Gerhart gapped.

Through millions of years, planets gradually cool down, with frozen meteorites carrying essential materials crashing into them, creating a suitable habitat.

Gerhart then saw streaks of light landing on the planet. Soon, the once-molten planet became a brown and blue planet covered in oceans.

Through chance, the first primitive life eventually manifested in the deepest parts of these oceans through underwater volcanic activity, creating the first life on a planet.

Gerhart suddenly dived into the ocean.

"Whoa!" Gerhart tried covering himself but found that he was not wet. "O-Oh..." He uttered in embarrassment.

The vision zoomed in until it was so small that Gerhart couldn't see it with the naked eye. He then saw strange-looking creatures in the water.

"There are creatures this small?" Gerhart widened his eyes, fascinated.

After countless trials and errors and natural selection, they eventually evolved into more advanced life forms.

Gerhart then saw many creatures, including jellyfish, weird animals, fish, lizards, birds, mammals, primates, and eventually, primitive humans emerge.

"W-Wait... So the gods didn't create life?! The world itself birthed them?!" Gerhart uttered in shock.

As animals became more and more intelligent, I slowly gained sentience, molded by their thoughts and desires. And chief among them was Conquest.

Gerhart then saw many scenes.

Beasts group up to hunt stronger beasts for sustenance and growth.

Males fighting for the right to procreate.

Humans created tribes, expanding through procreation, pillaging, and bloodshed.

Technology improved to fight other enemies and make life more convenient, advancing civilizations.

Tribes became villages, villages became towns, towns became cities, and cities became nations.

Rulers were selected through wit and sword, leading to prosperity and war.

When the population was too high, men fought the uncivilized world. But when there was too little land to reclaim or in times of famine, they fought each other for resources under the name of kings, righteousness, religions, and grudges. The winners prospered, while the losers died or became enslaved.

Eventually, civilization improved to the point where they could destroy the world, and they looked up to the stars to continue their ambition - to conquer the stars.

"W-Whoa..." Gerhart's uttered, his worldview dramatically changing.

The desire for Conquest is what molded me. Through it, I gained sentience and became who I am. It is my first legacy to you, my successor. Just as I embodied Conquest, so will you.

"E-Eh? Wait, what?" Gerhart snapped out of it, realizing something was wrong.

The scenes suddenly disappeared, a ball of white flames manifesting. Gerhart felt a regal authority in the ball, conveying Superiority, Purity, Domination, and Subjugation. It represented Conquest.

Receive the first baptism of power and Ascend to a higher state.

Suddenly, the ball of flame flew at Gerhart.

"Shit!— AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Enveloped by the white flame, Gerhart screamed as he felt his soul melted and reforged.

The pain he felt when absorbing things was nothing compared to what he felt now.

After what felt like an eternity of torture, the flames finished their work, Gerhart collapsing like a puppet with cut strings.

In his blurry mind, Gerhart heard the voice speak.

I give you the Gift of Conquest. Although it is a shadow of my former power, it shall serve you well. But this power comes at a price. You shall hunger Subjugation. You shall thirst for Domination. Your Ambitions will grow like wild weeds.

In times of peace, you may prosper but also stagnate and soften. In times of war, you may thrive but burn by its flames. Benevolence is sweet poison, and cruelty is a double-edged sword. Patience is a virtue, but inaction is a sin. Although subordinates are crucial, your best friend is yourself. Balance is the key to success while leaning on any side will lead to ruin.

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You have honed yourself to an acceptable level and can now take your first steps as a conqueror. Hone yourself further, gain followers, subjugate a territory, and build a force. If chance arrives, engage in skirmishes, harvesting their bounties to further your goals.

Good luck, young conqueror. If you wish to study your new power, speak to your Envoy. And remember, the more you resist, the faster your desire for Conquest will grow. Embrace it, or be consumed by it.

And then, Gerhart lost consciousness.

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When Gerhart woke up, he had a dazed look.

"I... What..." Gerhart had a hard time processing everything that happened.

As he was thinking that, he received messages.

Consumed 10,000 Energy.

Stage 1 Ascension successful.

Stage 1 Ascension Benefits: Concept Affinity: Conquest, Power Elevation: Envoy.

"Shit!" Gerhart was shocked, not wanting to believe it.

Gerhart slowly remembered the contents of what the voice said. And the more he remembered, the more dread filled him.

"Hah... Hahah. This is a joke, right?" Gerhart thought in denial. "My goal of becoming a low-key powerhouse and having a peaceful and carefree life couldn't end like this, right?"

Gerhart couldn't help but recall his short conversation with Hope when she was a Wife.

"What am I? The Demon Lord?" - Gerhart.

"Don't be silly, my husband... Something so inferior as a Demon Lord is barely an appointed Ruler." - Hope.

Or so it went.

And then, anger filled him.

"Take it back... Take it back, you stupid relic! ARRGGH!!!!! Choose someone else, you fucker!!!" Gerhart mentally roared.

Of course, the relic didn't respond.

"... Please? I will find someone more worthy, so can you just let him have it instead?" Gerhart tried to bargain.

And yet, the relic remained silent.

"I don't want to command Demon Lords. I want to live in peace..." Gerhart mentally cried.

The relic remained unresponsive.

"If you don't take it back, I will destroy you! Even if I must kill myself!" Gerhart tried testing his luck.

But the relic didn't give a fuck about him.

"... Fine, you win." Gerhart gave up, accepting his fate, knowing that struggle was useless.

Gerhart didn't realize he just went through the seven stages of grief within a few minutes, but even if he did, he wouldn't care.

Only after calming down did Gerhart get up. And then he noticed that, on the floor beside him, two girls were sleeping on mattresses on the floor. And he noticed they kept weapons close at hand.

"They stayed here the whole night to guard me, hah? Although it might be artificial loyalty, I am glad to have them as my subordinates." Gerhart warmheartedly thought.

But then he realized something was wrong with his thoughts. "Wait... Did I regard them as Subordinates rather than Companions or Friends?"

That revelation sent shivers down Gerhart's spine. "My thoughts are already being affected, aren't they?"

While dreading the future, Gerhart saw Hope waking up.

"Mmm... Ah! Gerhart! You're awake!" Hope smiled and got up.

"Hn? Ah? Ah! My l— Gerhart! How are you?" Havre got up and worriedly asked.

"I'm fine. I'll explain later." Gerhart smiled and left the bed.

Opening the window, he saw that early morning arrived. "Okay, let's get ready for breakfast."

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Sometime later, Gerhart had breakfast with Asher's family.

While eating, Gerhart couldn't help but have stray thoughts.

"With Havre and Annabelle, taking over Asher's family should be an ideal choice..." Gerhart thought, recalling Hope's and Havre's words.

But the following moment, he immediately shook his head. "No! Resist!"

"Gerhart? Is something wrong?" Ellie-Mae, one of Asher's life partners, asked, concerned.

"Ah, just shaking the morning drowsiness." Gerhart waved his hand.

"Being young sure is nice, but try to do it in moderation." Darcy, Asher's other partner, said with a light smile.

Asher's younger children couldn't help but snicker at the comment, understanding what she implied.

"Haha... I'll try." Gerhart lightheartedly laughed, playing along with the misunderstanding.

After breakfast, the trio headed to the Massage Room, where Havre gave a pleasant Aura Massage to Gerhart and Hope.

"Ever since this morning, the voices have gone mute," Havre cheerfully said while massaging Gerhart's back.

"Oh? Is it gone, then?" Gerhart asked while enjoying Havre's fingers pressing on his back. 

"Not gone, but mute. It is as if the voices don't dare complain in your presence." Havre gently replied. "I can confidently say that I am sane as long as I stay next to you, perhaps even more than before we met."

"Well, I am glad at least you can enjoy it." Gerhart bitterly said.

"What's wrong, Gerhart?" Hope, who stood on the side, worriedly asked.

"It is my ascension thing. Although it gave me some boons, it now makes me crave Conquest." Gerhart sighed, depresseed. "And the more time passes, and the more I denied it, the more I crave it."

"Is it a bad thing, though?" Havre asked while massaging Gerhart's leg. "Wouldn't conquest give you power and wealth?"

"If you want a peaceful life, definitely yes. Being a ruler sounds like a pain in the neck." Gerhart pursed his lips, but then his expression changed to contentment. "Ah... That's good. I think your massage skills improved."

"Well, my level did drastically increase." Havre smiled.

"But you can have a peaceful life even as a conqueror. You only need to control the rulers, and you can enjoy the fruits of Conquest with little to no risk." Hope pointed out.

"I suppose. It is more about not wanting to force my will on others." Gerhart sighed. "This power is evil."

"Evil is subjective. And besides, Conquest isn't inherently evil in its absolute form. Sure, war, Subjugation, and Domination are crucial parts of Conquest, but Conquest also includes peace and development. Without it, civilization wouldn't exist as we know it. It is merely a tool to achieve a goal." Hope said.

"I am not as well-read as Hope, but I at least know that monarchs are all conquerers or enjoy the fruits of Conquest. This village wouldn't exist without conquering the wild and fighting monsters. Is that evil? Do we not have the right to fight for survival?" Havre asked while massaging Gerhart's other leg.

"So what, am I supposed to just go with the flow and conquer this village?" Gerhart asked in a ridiculing tone.

"I suppose, yes," Havre calmly replied. "Your desire to conquer mirrors my desire for completeness. The more you deny it, the worse it will get, and one day, you will snap. When that happens, will you be a wise and benevolent lord? Or a mad tyrant? I shall follow you through thick and thin, but I advise you to embrace your identity while you still have control."

"... If you are trying to scare me, you're succeeding." Gerhart winced.

"I can tell from your tensing muscles," Havre replied, massaging Gerhart's tense hands. "But it was not my intention. I am stating a fact."

"Havre is right. The sooner you accept it, the better. While I will support you in everything you do, I don't want to see you become a cruel tyrant. If you become one, you won't be happy, and I also won't be happy." Hope said.

"Hah... I know. Sorry for being selfish. But before I start doing things, I want to see how bad it will get. If it gets to a certain point, I will do it." Gerhart said, resigned to his fate yet still hoping he would overcome it.

"It is your decision. Done." Havre shook her head and stepped back.

"Thank you," Gerhart said and got up, somewhat depressed, but at least his body felt good.

"Hope, your next~." Havre smiled and said.

"Eh, but I already sensed my Aura," Hope said, surprised.

"It is useful either way. Come, come~" Havre motioned and then turned to Gerhart. "Oh, and men are not allowed~. Of course, if you insist, I'll let you watch~" She playfully said.

"Okay, I'll leave. Have fun." Gerhart shook his head, got dressed, and left the massage room.

After Hope undressed and lay on the massage table, Havre began massaging her.

"So, you heard our lord. Sooner or later, our lord will crack under the pressure." Havre said.

"I know," Hope said, enjoying the massage. "Our job is to think about the best candidates to start with."

"My family, especially my father, are the highest priority targets. However, my father is a retired B-rank adventurer, and although his knees are busted and old, he is a formidable opponent. Meanwhile, my two step-mothers are C-rank but are in their prime. We should target my siblings first. Although talented, they are young and immature, easy targets." Havre said, not caring she was selling out her family.

"Two step-mothers?" Hope asked.

"My real mother died giving birth to me during a monster attack. Father doesn't like to mention it, however." Havre said with a tinge of sadness.

"Sorry..." Hope said.

"It's okay. I consider my step-moms my real moms." Havre said, returning to normal.

"We should indeed focus on your siblings first before isolating your mothers. When they are all down, we can subdue Asher, thus indirectly controlling the village and information outflow." Hope agreed. "But we can also take over other targets in the meantime. What about Irene?" Hope asked.

"She would indeed be a good target, especially when isolated. She has strong magic abilities, but her endurance is average. One strike is enough to subdue her, or we can spike her drink. There are plenty of paralytic poisons in the forest." Havre said.

"Speaking of poisoning food, we should target the village cooks. That way, we can drug the more difficult opponents." Hope said.

"Good idea! I know two wanting to conceive a child, so we can trick them into coming to the Guesthouse." Havre suggested.

"That's a dirty, low move... I like it." Hope said with glee in her voice.

"Hehehe..."

"Hehehe..."

The two girls giggled from a dreadful conversation that would disgust all the villagers if they heard it.

"By the way~." Havre's playful hands snaked to Hope's inner thighs. "How was your first time with him, naughty mousey?"

"H-Hey, s-stop Ah!" Hope moaned at Havre's touch.

"You helped me last time, so I should reward you. How about we finish what we started last time? While at it, tell me what you did with Gerhart right next to my sleeping body." Havre playfully said, one of her hands massaging Hope's tail while pouring Aura inside.

"N-Not the tail... Ahn~."

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Meanwhile, Gerhart returned from the outhouse after answering nature's call.

Interestingly, they used pieces of cloth, which they would then throw in a basket. The villagers would then use cleaning magic and wash them before reusing them.

"Are they done yet?" Gerhart asked himself, mentally counting the time.

He estimated that about 15 minutes had passed, five more than necessary.

"I should go in and check on them..." Gerhart muttered and innocently opened the door.

But the scene in front of his eyes shocked him.