Surviving without God

The assault on the Bellamor estate. Gunther spent some time devising a plan that would allow him to achieve his goal with the fewest deaths possible.

Naturally, the first step was to raise his stats as much as possible. Bosses belonging to the Cult of Abundance, according to the concept of “Gluttony,” without exception possessed high defense and powerful regeneration. Kate Bellamor was no exception.

In the original game, players encountered her in the ritual hall at the deepest part of the estate, after overcoming countless traps scattered throughout the mansion. If by that moment you didn’t have enough firepower, the damage numbers appearing before your eyes would be nothing but “1.”

“I need to increase my firepower.”

There were not many ways to achieve that in a short time. Gunther stared at the status window floating before him.

[Status: Internal Burning]

(Remaining time: 3 days 15 hours)

If the flame of the Flame of Eternal Torment is not brought under control, the body will burn itself from within, resulting in death.

The one-week reprieve granted by the mana of the Ruler of the Oceans was coming to an end, and the mana inside his body had begun to surge unstably again. Solving the problem of this uncontrollable turbulence would be the key to increasing his combat power.

Of course, he could offer Karma to the Ruler of the Oceans again to buy more time. But at the moment he only had around 300 Karma. That needed to be saved for an emergency.

So he decided to resort to a more “surgical” method.

“...Are you serious? Like, really serious?”

Gunther nodded.

“Hm-m. Actually I was planning to recruit you as an assistant... But becoming a test subject? Are you sure?”

His interlocutor was clearly stunned by the sudden request from Gunther, who had arrived earlier than the appointed time. Still, Gunther knew she would never refuse.

“When this is over, I’ll work as your assistant as much as you want.”

“Oh, that would be wonderful. I was just in need of a test subject with high resistance, someone capable of enduring powerful stimulation.”

Sharin Vega. The mad alchemist of the Nest circled the operating table where Gunther lay, anticipation shining in her eyes as she muttered to herself.

“Don’t worry so much.”

She spoke in a gentle voice as if trying to calm him, but the excitement in the tips of her fingers caressing the equipment betrayed her.

“This isn’t the barbaric method where they simply pour poisons or medicines into you. At most we’ll tinker with a few body parts. Just a little.”

Yes. That was exactly why Gunther had come. He slowly swept his gaze around the room.

Strange tubes. Pulsating chunks of flesh. Mechanical limbs sending chaotic signals.

[Alphonse of Red Street screams in horror]

[Drug-Addicted Saint’s eyes sparkle with curiosity]

[King of Ninety-Nine Defeats sees an opportunity to become stronger]

Sharin seemed to grow more and more enthusiastic.

“This isn’t related to today’s operation, but want me to show you something? This is a steel spine engraved with a self-restoration formula! And next to it — a rune neural network for pain control! Thanks to the reaction of magic stones you can switch sensations on and off. A real innovation, right? Oh, and this... ah, I shouldn’t. ‘Officially’ this isn’t disclosed yet. Ha-ha, the higher-ups oppose it, say it’s too dangerous. Well, whatever! Since we have a volunteer test subject. Hee-hee.”

Gunther didn’t stop her. He only took a deep breath, trying to remain calm.

“In the main storyline this method existed too. I’m just trying it a little earlier.”

Sharin’s human modification originally unlocked as a development branch in the middle of Act Two, but thanks to the Saint’s help last time it had become available early. Gunther intended to use it not only to stabilize his unstable mana but also to implement one particular “trick.” All for the assault on the Bellamor estate. Finally Gunther nodded.

“Begin.”

“Alright. First I’ll deal with the heart you asked about, then we’ll check the immune response and move on to the rest. I don’t have much experience in this area.”

“To avoid vulnerability to hacking, biological components are better than mechanical ones.”

“Got it! Leave it to me!”

Whirr—

Pulling on surgical gloves, Sharin lifted a grinder lying beside the table.

WHEEEEEEEE—

The laboratory filled with a deafening roar ten times louder than the sound of a dentist’s drill. The spinning blade viciously cut through the air.

“Then let’s begin.”

“......”

Sharin smiled awkwardly.

“Oh. I forgot the anesthesia.”

[Affinity with Sharin Vega increases]

.

.

.

[Sharin Vega’s operation was successful]

[Existing organ “Heart” has been enhanced with a biological module]

[Status “Internal Burning” improved]

(Remaining time: 10 days 13 hours)

– Mana control stability increased.

– Resistance to mana surges in high-power states increased.

– Internal body durability slightly increased.

[Additional modification “Operation ???” performed in parallel]

***

The next few days were spent recovering from the horrifying surgery. Sharin, excited by the success of her human experiment, took diligent care of Gunther. Thanks to this he not only recovered quickly but also managed to finish all the minor preparations, including reinforcing the equipment of his platoon members.

Only one thing remained. The most important “preparation.”

“...She should be here by now.”

An elite bar in the Middle City. Gunther waited in a reserved private room. Exactly at the appointed time she pushed the door open, bringing the chill of the street with her.

“Hey there, handsome.”

“Seraz.”

“Oh, a new ring?”

Gunther looked at his fingers. More precisely, at the soot-colored ring on his index finger. As expected, her eye was sharp.

“Got it as a gift.”

“From a woman?”

“...From a sixty-year-old blacksmith.”

The item’s official name was Hungry Shadow. Rank: Ancient. The Nest blacksmith Dramcrow had crafted it in exchange for 500 merit points. It worked on the same principle as Parco’s special armor “Walking Castle”: when infused with mana it unfolded into full armor. A high-class piece providing excellent defense and mobility. Dramcrow had personally tossed it to Gunther while he was still lying in the infirmary, after which Gunther refined it using the Liquid of Silence he had purchased at the auction.

“Hm-m. You’ve got quite a broad range of tastes.”

“......?”

With her characteristic casual manner, Seraz sat down at the table. A rare sight — she was in civilian clothes. A wrinkled jacket, a loose shirt. The gray hair she usually slicked neatly back was disheveled. Barely seated, she poured ice into a glass and filled it to the brim with alcohol.

“You look tired.”

“O-o-o, what a gentle gaze. Did you really invite auntie here today just to make her spend money?”

“You could try saving some.”

“Nonsense. Money, you know, only gains value when you spend it on handsome men. Handsome.”

Gunther silently watched her, noticing the deep dark circles beneath her eyes.

“...For that, your recent spending must have been considerable.”

“...What are you talking about?”

“Auction, number 55.”

Seraz slowly tilted her head. A dangerous glint flickered in the amber eyes fixed on Gunther.

“How would you even...”

She tried to pretend she didn’t understand, but soon let out a heavy sigh.

“...Of course. Damn it, how did you find out?”

“Trade secret.”

Participant number 55 — the one who had been buying up every lightning- and fire-attribute item in the Gods’ Shop. It hadn’t taken Gunther long to deduce her identity.

“Looks like the mayor’s illness is progressing.”

For Seraz, the mayor’s confidant, that was the only reason to gather such items.

“Don’t joke with me. I’m asking how you knew it was me.”

“......”

When the silence stretched, Seraz’s gaze narrowed. Gunther felt the threat emanating from her. If not for the friendship they had accumulated... yes, if not for his face, that pistol hanging casually at her waist might already have begun spewing fire.

...However, this tension was deliberate on Gunther’s part. Now Seraz could not help but fear his information-gathering abilities, evaluating them extremely highly. That was exactly the course of events Gunther wanted.

“I need to seem like a dangerous but useful ally.”

Fortunately, his scheme worked. Seraz reached not for her pistol but for her pipe.

Puff—

Bluish smoke instantly filled the room.

“So you’re playing the mysterious type. Not very polite for someone who invited me here on business.”

“Well, the same could be said for you, right?”

“What?”

“No matter how much you like handsome men, you wouldn’t come here out of politeness during such troubled times.”

The pipe trembled at the corner of her mouth. Seraz stared at Gunther for a moment as if she couldn’t believe what she had heard, then laughed quietly.

“You’ve grown quite a bit in a short time. See? I told you, the city is a frightening place.”

“That it is.”

“Alright, I admit it. I have a few requests of my own.”

“I’ll hear yours first.”

“You’ve probably already guessed? It’s a continuation of the investigation you helped us with.”

She meant the investigation into officials within the Public Security Bureau who held anti-Luthien views. Recently Seraz, having sensed something suspicious in their behavior, had asked the Fourth Platoon to raid their homes and search for evidence of betrayal. The result, however, had been zero. Aside from one house flooded with strange slime, nothing had been found.

“You said you’d conduct a follow-up investigation.”

“I did. And I failed.”

Seraz drained the glass in one gulp. The bottle was already half empty.

“I even involved the most reliable runners, searched everything — nothing. No traces of bribes, no blackmail, no contacts, no signs of brainwashing. It’s driving me insane. Because of this my position has become unstable.”

Seraz valued her subordinates highly, especially those who were not corrupt. And the fact that such people had suddenly turned away from her? For her it was something that simply made no logical sense.

“It’s too strange. It’s not money and it’s not blackmail. The people haven’t changed. Everything ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ stayed the same, but their attitude toward Luthien flipped completely.”

She paused for a moment, then said firmly:

“But do you know what’s most suspicious?”

“What?”

“It’s not only in the Bureau. The same thing is happening in other departments. ...It’s driving me crazy.”

It seemed Seraz had reached a certain conclusion.

“You learn a few things after years in the police. If a case completely defies logic, the conclusion is always the same.”

Tsss—

A spark flared at the tip of her pipe.

“This isn’t the work of a human. It’s the interference of a deity.”

Gunther nodded and listened seriously. It seemed the core of the matter was beginning.

“But we know something. The Cult of Abundance doesn’t have a god capable of completely rewriting the human mind. At most the Cult of Repose stirring trouble on the side of the Kingdom Alliance... but even they couldn’t manage something on this scale. Besides, if they had intervened, we would know.”

She paused and let out a bitter sigh.

“In other words, some new, strange deity has appeared — one that isn’t in our records. The problem is that with our current resources we can’t oppose it. Things in the administration are complicated right now, I can’t just extend my reach wherever I want.”

“In that case—”

Gunther opened his mouth.

“This will be an additional investigation officially assigned by the Bureau to the Night Raven organization. Determine what happened to the anti-Luthien figures in the Upper City. Is that correct?”

“...That’s enough.”

Gunther nodded casually.

“Good. That aligns perfectly with my objective. I don’t even need to explain my motives.”

Seraz felt an ominous premonition in his words. A strange chill ran down her spine.

“And what exactly... is your objective?”

“Tomorrow I’ll strike the Bellamor estate.”

The absurd declaration froze Seraz’s thoughts. In Gunther’s pupils, clouded with faint madness, a scarlet thirst for blood raged.

“...Whatever they’re hiding there — a new god, a monster, or something else.”

Gunther muttered it in an utterly ordinary tone, as if it were the most natural step in the world.

“If I blow that place apart, everything will come crawling out.”

After a short silence Gunther calmly added:

“So I’ll need your help with a few things.”