Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint
Chapter 326: My Body Doesn't Accept it Well

Large and long-living creatures naturally possessed Qi.

It was not just humans; any beast that existed and made an impact on the world accumulated Qi. They even instinctively used the Qi they accumulated.

Of course, humans were the only ones who could use Qi systematically.

Humans used wood, stone, iron, and even mana systematically.

So it shouldn’t be surprising that they also use the Qi within their own bodies.

However, for a human who lives only about 60 years, using complex Qi Arts inevitably leads to chronic Qi deficiency.

Whenever such problems occur, humans always seek something external to replenish what they lack.

That “something” was the Qi of other beasts, what is now called “elixir,” the essence of life itself.

While hunting animals to fill their stomachs, humans also replenished their lacking Qi.

But do humans now realize?

The Qi of beasts and the Qi of humans were fundamentally the same.

And back when humans were still beasts, the beast most readily available was… another human.

The First Anathema: Gluttony.

A forbidden act where humans consume other humans to acquire mana and Qi.

All humans regard it as a sin, a forbidden thought they try to erase from their minds, yet this taboo… is still being practiced.

Inside my stomach.

Sigh.

It’s no use. No matter what I try, I’m not gaining anything.

The elixir is indeed inside my stomach, but there’s no sign of anything happening.

Honestly, I don’t even know the reason.

There’s no rule that says the King of Beasts can’t change, but my body feels… fixed.

Or rather, regulated.

Whether I eat one elixir or consume hundreds through cannibalism, it won’t make a difference.

The Qi I can gain from this precious elixir is barely a speck—and even that feels like it will eventually fade.

Still, to become a mountain, one must gather even the smallest grains of sand.

Just as I was struggling to scrape together whatever tiny bit of energy I could, I heard a voice.

“…I have heard that elixirs are quite dangerous. Are there really no side effects?”

“There’s almost no chance of danger~. People often think elixirs are risky because of the side effects, but those side effects come from the body’s own Qi going berserk due to external Qi—like an allergic reaction!”

“Is that not dangerous?”

“But our dear Father here has barely any Qi at all! Even if that little Qi of his went wild, it’d just be like a tickle! So, don’t worry! I’ve already considered all of that!”

A tickle?

Even if it’s true, that’s too much of an exaggeration.

Just you wait, if I do get stronger, I’ll make sure to smack her over the head first.

Despite Hilde’s reassurances, Tyr still expressed concern.

“But Shei said you have to remain still to absorb the elixir. If it is not because of the side effects, then why?”

“That’s for after you take the elixir. The real problem is if the Qi doesn’t settle properly in the body. Qi that hasn’t fully been absorbed can float around inside, potentially causing side effects later!”

“I see. So when you said not to touch the body or disturb his concentration…”

“It’s because moving the body can interfere with the Gam Qi and disturbing the mind can disrupt Li Qi! Though I’ve never experienced it myself, that’s what I’ve heard!”

So that’s what it’s about.

It’s irrelevant to me, though.

If I don’t have any Qi, then I won’t have any issues controlling it.

“By the way, to avoid disrupting Li Qi, you should reduce contact with the body to a minimum!”

“Contact with the body…”

Tyr, who had been silently watching, suddenly spoke up.

“Wait! Isn’t Hu wearing clothes? Fabrics are touching his body everywhere!”

…Well, clothes shouldn’t really matter.

I wear them every day, and if I didn’t, it would just be worse because of the wind or dust.

I was expecting Hilde to correct her.

｢Hm? Some people do take them off, but clothes aren’t usually an issue~ Still, this seems fun, so let’s push it a little!｣

Don’t push it!

“Oh my, what should we do? I completely forgot since it’s something he wears every day! I should take them off right away!”

Don’t take them off!

“Wait! Wait! How could you possibly strip the clothes off a man who is not your husband?!”

“Is that a problem?”

“Of course it is! Only those who are bound for life should do such things!”

“But he’s my father! Isn’t it just showing filial piety?”

“Uh, that…! You are not truly father and daughter! Absolutely not!”

“Then what should we do? If we don’t take them off, the Qi might get stuck to the clothes, and he’ll never be able to take them off for the rest of his life!”

That’s not going to happen!

“How terrible… What a dilemma. What should we do…”

“We have no choice but to remove them!”

“But…”

“The answer is obvious. All it takes is the courage to act! Tyrkanzyaka, in a situation like this, you need to be brave! You must overcome this challenge and move forward!”

｢C-Courage… Does that mean… we must be together for life…?｣

Tyr gulped, glancing at me as I sat still with my eyes closed.

Her pale hand reached out cautiously toward my clothes.

But then she realized something.

“There are no seams… Where are the buttons or strings?”

“Oops, it’s a Clothing Packet. You’ll need to use mana on his Bio-receptor to open it.”

“I cannot control mana!”

“Then you’ll have to rip it. Want to tear it open? You can open him like a present!”

“Why would I do something so ridiculous?! And tearing it would move his body, would it not?!”

“Hehe, that’s true!”

“This is terrible… What should we do?!”

｢Oh no, I was just kidding, but she’s taking it so seriously! What should I do? If I tell her it was a joke now, she’ll hate me!｣

Just take the hate.

If you lie, you should at least be ready to face the consequences.

At that moment, the Regressor entered the tent, looking quite pleased with herself.

Maybe she was proud of the information she’d gathered because she started talking even though I didn’t ask.

“I got the info. About a day’s travel from here, there’s a large camp. That’ll be our next target—”

“Shei! You came just in time. Help me take off Hu’s clothes!”

“WHAT?!”

At this point, even the thought of absorbing the elixir feels like a distant dream.

I stood up, my face scrunched in frustration.

“Enough nonsense. Let’s stop this.”

“Hu! You have to sit down!”

The Regressor, who almost had to strip a man’s clothes for no reason, was still completely clueless.

“Huh? Why? Why can’t he get up?”

“He took the elixir! Moving is dangerous!”

“Wait, he already took it? Without saying anything… hold on!”

The Regressor activated her Seven Colored Eyes and inspected me with her Violet eyes, which could sense Qi.

After examining me, she frowned.

“…Your Qi hasn’t increased at all. What, did you pretend to take it and hide it somewhere?”

“Not only did I not get stronger, but now you’re calling me a thief?”

“If you ate the elixir, then where did the Qi go?”

“If you find it, let me know. I’ll be sure to cut off its hand.”

The regressor continued to scan me with her Seven Colored Eyes, trying to see if I had hidden the elixir, but after thoroughly checking, she realized I was telling the truth.

“Wait… This can only mean one thing.”

The regressor fell silent, deep in thought.

Tyr, impatient for answers, urged her to continue.

“What does it mean?”

“…He simply lacks talent.”

“Talent? How is that possible…?”

｢Apart from raw strength or treasures, Hu did not seem less talented than Shei…｣

Thankfully, the Regressor clarified Tyr’s confusion.

“Not learning talent—physical talent for Qi accumulation. It’s like how a blind person can’t see colors or a deaf person can’t hear sounds. He’s probably born without the ability to store external Qi. It looks like he can only use what he naturally possesses.”

“I agree. I may not have lived in luxury, but I wasn’t malnourished either. Yet, my Qi never sticks.”

That explains why Glutonny, a forbidden practice, wouldn’t work for me either.

Things are becoming clearer.

“Damn. I thought you had potential.”

“Now that you understand, please don’t strap me to a sled for more training. It’s just a waste of energy.”

“Is that what’s important right now? You won’t be able to get stronger at this rate!”

“What should I do? Cry over my unfortunate fate? Even if I did, all you’d do is pat me on the shoulder and say ‘There, there.’ What’s the point?”

“I wouldn’t pat you on the shoulder even if you did cry!”

｢I thought the elixir would fix this. Tch, now he’s just a burden. It’s fine for this timeline, but next time…｣

Wait, could this work out in my favor?

If the Regressor only saves me for one round and then leaves me behind, I’ll be free to try different methods each time.

Of course, that’s not much use to me now, while I’m stuck as a deadweight being dragged along.

“Well, it looks like we wasted an elixir. What a shame. Let’s just go to sleep now. Tomorrow’s going to be a grueling march.”

“Wait a second. I’ve got something else to try.”

｢Let me use the Eyes of Fate to see his destiny. I’ll lose some lifespan, but… well, it’s not like I’ll live out my full years anyway. It’s worth seeing where his fate leads.｣

The Regressor pretended to run her fingers through her hair, secretly activating all of her Seven Colored Eyes.

Each eye flashed in succession, forming a small circle in her vision.

I peered into the bright focal point of her pupil.

｢Revolving Wheel of Heaven. Let’s see Hughes’ fate… Though I have my doubts…｣

Fate was revealed for the most useless reason in the world.

In the Regressor’s eyes, my image was reflected.

Through the past, present, and future, she saw the pinnacle I would reach among the countless paths that lay ahead.

It’s said that the eyes that see fate shorten one’s lifespan, but the reason is simpler than you’d think.

There’s a limit to the amount of information a human can process in a lifetime, and when you force an enormous, trivial piece of information like one’s destiny into the brain in a short period, it naturally deteriorates your health, which we interpret as a loss of lifespan.

Despite knowing this, the Regressor took the risk to see my fate.

Maybe, with those eyes, she could discover something.

Curious, I read her thoughts.

And the result of peering into my future…

｢…Nothing changes? Not in the future either? This is the highest point Hughes will ever reach…?｣

You’re just declaring it outright.

Yeah, I figured.

I’m not even surprised anymore.

At that moment, the Regressor walked up to me.

And with an uncharacteristically sympathetic expression, she patted my shoulder.

“There, there…”

You said you wouldn’t pat my shoulder!

This feels so much worse than I imagined…