Beyond the Apocalypse
Chapter 188: Greed’s Embrace

Chapter 188: Greed’s Embrace

"I now bestow upon you the name Ouroboros!" Vlad’s tone carried an ancient solemnity, yet the people watching from a distance couldn’t help but feel odd as they saw the massive white wolf wagging his tail, generating an intense breeze.

Vlad also noticed how Ouroboros behaved, but he maintained a composed expression, simply nodding to the large white wolf. His eyes then grew sharp as he focused on the Depravita of Greed and sent the power of the A.I. Chip.

[Beep! Analyzing target!

...

Interference detected! An unknown force is using the target’s energy to block the scan!

...

Does the Host wish to attempt to break through the blockage?]

Vlad’s smile widened as he heard the robotic voice of his A.I. Chip because the only way that Ouroboros could have something hindering his scan was if the white wolf also had an A.I. Chip. It seemed that just like Jormungandr, the white wolf also obtained one thanks to the piece of Vlad’s soul that fused into his own, connecting them at a spiritual level.

The Depravita of Wrath did not command the A.I. Chip to force its way in. He simply waited for the white wolf to understand what was happening and hoped he would grant permission.

Immediately after Vlad’s A.I. Chip attempted to perform the scan, Ouroboros’ eyes widened as he began to look around. He focused on the young man with confusion as he seemed to acclimate to the existence of the A.I. Chip inside his soul, forming all sorts of questions in his mind that the robotic voice answered.

Finally, after a few minutes, Ouroboros stared at Vlad and silently nodded, no longer resisting the scan. The next second, the robotic voice echoed in the young man’s mind again.

[Beep! Hindering force is no longer detected! Performing scan!

...

Scanning of target completed.

...

Name: Ouroboros

Race: Canine?

Level (Energy): 1

Level (Body): 5

Class: Warrior

Lineage: None

---

Stats:

Strength: 7.3

Agility: 5.1

Vitality: 8.0

Energy Pool: 1.3]

Vlad was surprised to see the white wolf’s physical stats. Still, several questions arose in his mind as he attempted to understand why all the extra energy in the piece of his soul that came into Ouroboros went to his flesh and blood.

"Ouroboros, can you access your interface and tell me what kind of Racial Innate Ability you gained?" There was no one who could listen to them, so Vlad directly asked the white wolf, trying to figure out the key behind his power.

Ouroboros stared at Vlad for a few seconds, seeming to go through some information before speaking. "There is something, Master. It is called Greed’s Embrace, and it seems to be rooted in the essence of greed. This ability enables me to absorb, convert, and utilize all forms of energy, assimilating it into my flesh and blood, allowing them to evolve, and enhancing my physical might."

Vlad was surprised and thrilled as he heard the description of the Depravita Ability. It seemed similar to the Gift that Grand Marshal Anglius had, but it was much better as it allowed for nurturing the flesh instead of just storing energy in it.

The ability of the Depravita of Greed allowed the body to evolve, while the Grand Marshal’s Gift simply increased the amount of force of what was already there. Ouroboros would not have to worry about a massive body that could hinder his moves, and the potential of this ability was clearly off the charts.

"Awesome. Force Water seems to have already flooded your Sea of Consciousness, and your skill is tailored for warriors, so there is no need to change your class. In the meantime, you should focus on learning useful cultivation techniques and getting familiar with your new body. Your A.I. Chip will help you with all that." Vlad did not have to worry about guiding Ouroboros as the A.I. Chip would be able to solve all his doubts and provide a much better direction and path of power.

"Yes, Master." The massive white wolf nodded to Vlad, and he was immediately amazed by the robotic voice that seemed to infuse his mind with all sorts of knowledge with a single thought.

The Depravita of Wrath and the Depravita of Greed nodded to each other before turning once more to Cazan’s grave. With expressions full of respect and gratitude, they performed deep bows. Although the duo had found some happiness, the sadness that permeated their souls remained. But they were ready to keep pushing forward, honoring the memory of the man in their hearts and making sure they lived up to his sacrifice.

Once the duo finished paying their respects, they calmly walked away, careful not to disturb the other graves in the place.

Despite their surprise at Ouroboros’ transformation, the group’s respect for the fallen Royal Guard was unwavering. They walked towards his grave, each performing a deep salute. Even the viking princess and Chief Councilor Aloz, who barely interacted with the man, performed deep bows, showing their respect for his heroic accomplishments.

After that solemn event was over, the group left the graveyard. As soon as they did, Ouroboros turned and jumped toward Mirena, standing on his two legs and smiling at the young woman. "Look, sister, I am even bigger than you now!"

"Haha, yes, you are, Oro." Mirena couldn’t help but laugh as she almost fell due to the weight of the white wolf, making the rest of the people who saw the scene smile. It might have been the first time in months that the young woman laughed.

The group remained silent, watching the scene. Only after Ouroboros jumped down from Mirena’s shoulders did a new voice echo.

"You are bigger now, but remember that you are the small baby in our group," Jormungandr spoke in a solemn voice as if he were a big brother trying to guide a younger sibling in the family.

However, once Ouroboros heard those words, he smiled and walked toward the small yellow cat before putting a paw over his head. "What a cute little kitty."

There was a comic smile on the white wolf as he uttered those words, yet everybody else froze, unable to believe what had just happened.

Jormungandr’s eyes twitched as he felt the paw over his head and heard how the massive white wolf referred to him as a kitty.

Vlad wanted to intervene, but he was too late. What came next was the scene of a small yellow cat beating the living hell out of a massive one-and-a-half-meter-tall and nearly three-meter-long white wolf.

Everybody saw the scene but dared not interfere. They just watched from a distance, knowing that Ouroboros had it coming and that none wanted to incur the wrath of the lightning Mage who could level a small town with his spells.

Of course, Jormungandr did not use his full power, as that would have been going over the line. He didn’t even use his magic, relying only on his body. While the small yellow cat was a Mage and had lower physical aptitude, he had already reached Level 10 in that aspect and had much higher fighting experience, so it did not take long for him to mercilessly beat the massive white wolf to the ground.

"I didn’t hear you. Who was a little kitty? Who was it!" Jormungandr stood on top of Ouroboros’s back, hitting the head of this one again and again with his paws.

"I am sorry! I am sorry!" The massive white wolf could only plead for mercy. While the blows of the small yellow cat did not harm him, they seemed to hit areas that were especially painful.

Jormungandr stopped after hearing the plea of Ouroboros and softly nodded. "Good, you seem to have learned your lesson. You must either call me Lord Commander Jormungandr or Big Brother." After that, he jumped off the white wolf and stared at him before raising his paw and showing his claws. "If you get out of line again, I will make a coat with your fur!"

The massive white wolf nodded repeatedly toward the small yellow cat. The rest of the group could only show awkward smiles as the hierarchy within the group was established.

Vlad only shook his head at the duo and no longer cared about the Depravita of Greed and the Depravita of Gluttony’s misbehavior. They were hilarious, and it was good for the team after these dark times, but he did not have the luxury to waste his time.

"Ouroboros, go with Mirena to the warehouse and start to consume the flesh of the demonic beasts. Try to see how effective it is for your growth. I will summon you when I have the bloodline and Runic Set for you."

The Royal Guard and Depravita of Greed nodded toward Vlad and, without wasting time, marched away. The sight of a massive white wolf could draw some gazes, but everybody would relax upon seeing Mirena by his side.