Volume One: Lord of the Infernal Realm Chapter 81: The Hero’s Assignment

Unlike the synthesis processes of the other two, Kebas’s transformation unfolded in an entirely different manner. As soon as Chen Gu issued the synthesis command, countless mosquitoes descended upon Kebas, ravenously feasting on his blood with wild abandon.

None of them had anticipated such a scene. Chen Gu wanted to step forward for a closer look, but Kebas, engulfed by the swarm, raised his right hand to stop them from approaching.

Helpless, they could only watch from a distance as Kebas’s arm grew more and more withered until, at last, it vanished completely into the swirling cloud of insects.

“Does this mean he’s failed?” Peter asked, eyeing the spectacle with disbelief.

“I don’t think so. I can still sense Kebas’s presence—though his aura feels strange now, scattered somehow,” Brufid replied, shaking his head.

Just then, the swarms of mosquitoes seemed to be struck by some invisible force, dropping to the ground incessantly. The extraordinary mosquitoes, those imbued with supernatural traits, could not withstand the power within them; one by one, they exploded, unable to contain their energy.

The insects died in waves, and before long, a thick layer of black carcasses covered the ground. From amidst this sea of corpses, a hand suddenly reached upward.

Then, a figure rose from within.

Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. Whatever the circumstances, the fact that someone could stand meant the synthesis had succeeded.

This time, the figure who stood up was nearly three meters tall, as broad as he was tall, much like Brufid. If it weren’t for his pointed ears, no one would have believed he was an elf.

Unlike the other two, Kebas wore little more than the remnants of clothing; his bare torso was covered in black, red, and green markings. Standing before Chen Gu and the others, Kebas resembled a small mountain.

“My lord, I have succeeded,” Kebas proclaimed loudly as he strode up to Chen Gu.

At that moment, Chen Gu saw the corresponding prompt:

[You have completed the synthesis and obtained the blue-quality hero Kebas. Hero Kebas has joined your party.]

[Hero Attributes]

Name: Kebas

Quality: Blue (Level cap: 10)

Race: Elf

Level: 8

Talent: Swarm Doppelganger (Can transform into mosquitoes to escape; as long as a single mosquito survives, he cannot die.)

Combat Attributes: Strength 12, Agility 16, Constitution 13, Perception 8, Intelligence 11

Campaign Attributes: Attack 6, Defense 3, Magic 4, Wisdom 3

Starting Skills: Level 3 Offensive Magic, Level 3 Pathfinding, Level 3 Leadership, Level 2 Luck

Legions: Swarm (703 groups), Burrowing Worms (5,299), None, None, None, None, None

Description: Kebas ultimately chose to become one with the swarm—not only because it was what he knew best, but because it was his ideal path. Though no one before him had dared take this step, he succeeded where others would not.

Looking at Kebas, Chen Gu broke into a smile.

This time, his gamble had paid off. Black Nest City was a treasure trove; now, not only did he possess a city, but also three powerful heroes. If this continued, the war against the undead would grow ever more hopeful.

“Alright. With you three by my side, I am much more at ease. Here’s my plan: Peter, you’ll begin expanding Black Nest City. Once we have troops stationed here, we’ll recruit two more heroes to oversee its defense.

Brufid, I have a task for you—clear out the undead in the vicinity. The precision with which they attacked before indicates they’re keeping close watch on Black Nest City. For the city to thrive again, we need to secure not only its buildings but the surrounding camps and mineral resources as well. Without those, development will be painfully slow.”

Brufid understood why Chen Gu was sending him into battle—he commanded the hydra, the most elite unit at their disposal. If Chen Gu failed to deploy him at a time like this, it would only make him seem blind and unworthy of respect. Now, with Chen Gu counting them as his own, it was only natural that he’d assign them important duties.

Chen Gu, unaware of their inner thoughts, turned to Kebas. “You’ll accompany me from now on. I need to travel further south—to the ancestral land of the elves—to see if there are any more clues. The road ahead will grow ever more perilous, and I’ll need a hero to protect me.”

“Of course, my lord. It would be my honor,” Kebas answered readily.

Chen Gu’s reasoning was sound; he needed someone to fight by his side. But taking the hydra troops along would be unwieldy. The mosquito swarms and burrowing worms, on the other hand, were much more suitable for his needs.

Chen Gu had already considered this—once they were out, he would seek ways to enhance the burrowing worms by synthesizing them further. These worms served much the same purpose as the corpse-eating vines, but were far more numerous. With them, even if he encountered impassable terrain, he could simply travel underground.

After assigning tasks to the heroes, Chen Gu and his companions did not rush to depart. He was determined to see Black Nest City restored, to learn from its magic, and, if possible, to help Brufid strengthen the hydra brood—at the very least, ensuring they could train specialized Holy Light Hydras in the future.

Brufid, for his part, took this very seriously. He had heard, however, that synthesizing a hydra brood required a vast array of materials. He promised that as long as Chen Gu named what he needed, he would find it—nothing Chen Gu required would be lacking.

Meanwhile, Kebas went out to clean up the battlefield—a job he had always done in the past. Although he was soon to depart with Chen Gu, they had not left yet, and it was still his duty to manage the aftermath in Black Nest Marsh.

Kebas also had to deal with the corpses that had been soaking in the marsh. Before long, though, he came running back to Chen Gu with something in hand.

“My lord, look at this.”

Chen Gu turned as soon as he heard Kebas’s voice. He saw that Kebas held two City Hearts in his hands.

Though these were clearly City Hearts claimed by the undead, it posed no great challenge for Chen Gu.

“These are City Hearts. What level? Bring them here so I can see.”

“The quality is rather high. This one is level 3, and this one is level 5. I wonder who owned them before—they had the nerve to use such high-level City Hearts to guide a mobile city. Usually, a level 1 City Heart suffices for a mobile city. Oh, and I also found this—it looks like a power core, but I suspect there’s something off about it. My lord, please take a look.”