Bloodhound’s Regression Instinct

Chapter 175

In the ranks of the orcs, only a select few awaken the power that once made the founding empire’s armies tremble. It elevates an ordinary orc’s strength and defense to superhuman levels—how could it be considered ordinary?

The special task force’s prized technique, the Reverse Blood Method, was inspired by the orcs’ frenzy. Of course, it’s a clear downgrade from the original Rampage.

Roar of the Berserker

With Vulkan’s roar, the skin of the surrounding orcs began to blush in a riot of colors. Seeing this, Yan shouted, “We must slay the orcs first!”

Damian and Owen did not object. They too sensed that something was amiss.

“Grunt. I will be the one to kill that pig-headed brute…” Owen muttered.

“Save your breath and focus,” came a retort.

Owen laid Theo on the ground and began to check his weapons.

Click!

The hand cannon was loaded with five rounds—enough to sweep away a horde of average orcs. And his greatsword was in perfect condition, without a single crack, ready to withstand this battle.

After finishing his preparations, Owen plunged back into the fray.

Battle Cry and Clash

Owen lit the fuse and swung his greatsword at the heads of the orcs. But unlike before, the orcs began to withstand his strikes.

“Have I already lost my strength?” Owen wondered.

No, he still had plenty of stamina and mana, not to mention the artificial elixir Yan had provided. That wasn’t the issue.

Clash!

Two red orcs charged at Owen’s greatsword, which stopped abruptly as if hitting a wall.

Owen glared at the orcs holding his blade. For a moment, his eyes widened in realization.

“So it’s come to this?”

He knew something had changed when their skin color shifted, but to this extent?

From afar, an irritated voice called out, “Old man, how long are you going to dawdle?”

It was Damian, fuming as the frenzied orcs blocked his path to Vulcan.

Owen snorted. “I was about to start anyway!”

As he spoke, veins bulged on his forehead.

“Vulcanus!”

A foreboding aura began to emanate from him, like a dormant volcano awakening.

The menacing presence made even the crazed orcs hesitate.

Sparks of Destiny

Sparks flew from Owen’s shoulders, and strange patterns traced down his arms. Soon, blue glyphs adorned both the hand cannon and the greatsword.

Roars and Sparks

Twenty orcs, each brandishing their weapons, charged at Owen. He laughed maniacally at the sight.

“Hahaha! I am Owen Valdi, the continent’s sole Warsmith!”

As he shouted, the blue glyphs on the hand cannon flashed.

The White Sphere

A small white sphere formed at the muzzle of the hand cannon.

Rumbling Power

It greedily absorbed the surrounding energy, swelling in size.

And when the orcs were almost upon him…

Thump.

With a soft sound, the white sphere shot towards them.

Vulcanus: The Racial Secret

First Form

The Spear of Lightning, Astrapé.

Lightning Unleashed

The white sphere stretched into a spear brimming with lightning.

Crackling Fury

The electrifying spear of lightning slowly flew towards the orcs.

Their screams were drowned out by the sound of the spear tearing through the air.

Thunderous Arrival

At that very moment, as the Spear of Lightning vanished, so did the red orcs that filled the wasteland, erased as if by an eraser. Yan chuckled at the sight, muttering, “Insane…”

The lightning spear he had launched swept away the orcs of the wasteland at an imperceptible speed. He had thought it was just a 4th-grade superhuman, but it was a monster. Had he unleashed such power in the old mining village, his life would have hung by a thread.

“Is this the Warsmith?”

Only now did he understand why such a grand title was bestowed upon the dwarves’ guardian.

The Charge and the Clash

“Should’ve cleared the path sooner. This brings back memories,” Damian chuckled as he charged at Vulcan. The red orcs that had blocked the way were annihilated by Owen’s attack, rapidly closing the distance between them.

Vulcan swung his massive club with both hands.

Swoosh!

Three thick strands of Qi poured out towards Damian, who was charging in.

“Tch!”

He reached down with his hand, and the trailing shadow leaped up, wrapping around Damian’s hand.

Slick.

Damian drew the sword from the shadow and placed it near his waist. Then he lowered his stance and bent his knees, like a knight about to draw his sword. And then…

Flash!

He unsheathed the sword at an invisible speed, and a semicircular arc of black sword Qi flew from the Black Shadow Sword towards the Qi Vulcan had fired.

Boom!

The collision of sword Qi and Qi caused an explosion, enveloping the area in a cloud of dust.

“Ugh!”

A thin stream of blood trickled from Damian’s mouth. It seemed too much to counter Vulcan’s attack head-on, especially in his frenzied state.

Flash!

Vulcan emerged from the dust cloud, spewing madness from his blood-red eyes, and immediately struck down at Damian.

“Tsk!”

Damian clicked his tongue and filled the Black Shadow Sword with mana, lifting it above his head. The sword’s width expanded unnaturally, transforming into a shield-like form.

Clang! Crash!

The club and the Black Shadow Sword clashed, sparking a grating metallic noise.

“Keh keh keh.”

But as time passed, Vulcan’s club slowly pressed down on the Black Shadow Sword. He had the upper hand in strength and momentum.

“Seems funny to you?”

Damian spoke to Vulcan, whose overwhelming power made the Black Shadow Sword tremble, yet a smile spread across Damian’s lips.

“Huh?”

Vulcan, lost in his frenzy, let out a primal grunt of confusion. Damian’s smiling face in such a dire situation seemed odd to him.

Boom! Bang!

At that moment, Vulcan’s eyes widened at the sound of two loud blasts.

A familiar voice came from behind, “I’m a legion commander just like you; shouldn’t I be doing more than just standing by?”

It was Owen.

Vulcan growled and turned his head, finding Owen aiming his hand cannon at him. The frenzy that had inflamed his reason now cooled to a chilling calm. His gaze quickly scanned the surroundings, searching for the one responsible for the incredible blow that had slain countless orcs.

Two of the four were here, one he had dispatched himself.

The remaining one was nowhere to be seen…

Vulcan swiftly turned his gaze towards the black tower.

“Has he already entered the tower?”

The situation was spiraling to its worst.

Facing Owen and Damian alone might have been manageable, but together, they posed an insurmountable threat.

And if the former general imprisoned within was released…

“I must… stop it.”

With that thought, Vulcan’s eyes blazed with determination.

Despite two large holes in his back from Owen’s hand cannon, Vulcan’s momentum grew stronger, not weaker.

And with that, veins bulged in the hand gripping his club.

Rumbling.

A swirling red aura centered around his club, forging new Qi.

The energy emanating from him was markedly different from before, causing Damian and Owen’s expressions to harden.

Roar!

Vulcan let out a monstrous roar, ignoring Owen and charging at Damian.

“Get out of the way, Damian!”

“Damn it.”

Damian cursed as he drew mana, draining enough to cause aftereffects, turning his face pale.

But he didn’t think it was too much.

From now on, the danger was worth risking his life.

* * *

The Tower’s Secret

At that moment, Yan left Vulkan in the hands of Damian and Owen and headed towards the black tower, where he presumed his father was imprisoned.

The door to the tower was locked, barring entry, but…

Screech!

With Ascalon, Yan sliced through the door itself, and no further obstacles emerged to halt his progress.

Inside, there was nothing but a spiral staircase.

He tried to look up to the end of the staircase, but the pitch darkness hindered his sight.

Even enhancing his vision with mana couldn’t penetrate the darkness.

And though he couldn’t see what else might be up there besides his father, just looking up sent shivers down his spine.

Momon, who had been watching from his pocket, poked his head out.

“Momon?”

Momon drooled as he looked upwards.

[The entity that created this immense impression is up there.]

“…There’s someone else besides my father?”

[It’s unknown.]

Yan nodded and stepped onto the spiral staircase, then began to ascend with all his might.

Initially, he climbed the stairs at an incredible speed, like a ray of light, but as he went higher, his pace slowed.

“…Is it because of what’s above?”

[Correct. The impression is most intense at the top, weakening control over mana.]

Yan clicked his tongue and powered up his legs to climb the stairs.

He wasn’t as fast as a ray of light anymore, but his speed was still remarkable.

Tap-tap-tap!

Thus, he ascended 10 floors, 30 floors, 50 floors, and finally reached the 99th floor.

Yan gasped for breath and looked ahead. His eyes sparkled.

There were no more stairs leading upwards.

Instead, a corridor extended inward from where he stood.

And within that corridor lay a thick, pitch-black darkness.

Yan drew Ascalon, heightened his vigilance, and slowly walked inside.

The ominous darkness, contrary to appearance, did not interfere with Yan’s body in any way.

Passing through the darkness, Yan’s eyes revealed a vast space.

There, a man was bound by an absurd number of chains.

An eyepatch covered his eyes, and shackles as large as a child’s head encased his wrists and ankles.

And chains as thick as a thumb pierced through the man’s skin.

The blood on the chains had turned black, suggesting that much time had passed since he was put in this state.

Yan, facing the scene, found himself unable to utter a word.

The man’s face was somehow familiar.

Yan opened the pendant he had received from Owen and looked inside.

A family photo, and then he looked up at the man.

Only then did Yan’s lips slowly part.

“…Father.”

The man chained to the wall… bore the same visage as his father in the family photo.