The Lord Who Levels Up by Devouring - LLD Chapter 40: The Predator’s Method (2) (Part 2)

I rampaged through the swarm like a madman.

I tore out monster hearts and consumed them without pause—using Predation [S+].

Some time later, the following notifications appeared:

◆ Regeneration [B+]

◆ Toughened Skin [B]

◆ Nutrient Synthesis [B]

◆ Promote Metabolism [C+]

There were no further messages indicating that my abilities had evolved through additional genetic absorption.

It was now evident—I had completed the perfected form of my ability.

When I turned my gaze again, monsters had already begun to flee.

‘Did their commander issue a retreat?’

That seemed to be the case.
Whoever was leading the monster army must have decided it was no longer viable to continue.

‘To be fair, I was running low on calories…’

Though I replenished some in between, it was never full recovery.
There was hardly any leeway to fully restore my calories amidst such an intense battle.

This, too, was a limitation of Regeneration [B+].

So continuing to fight any longer would be too much—even for me.

…Was someone observing my condition?

In that moment, Kai jumped off the rampart.
Kai, who had been diligently following my order not to interfere.

But now, realizing I could no longer sustain combat, he didn’t hesitate.

Thus, Kai turned into a golden wolf and fiercely pursued the retreating monster army.
If we let those monsters escape, they could become a future threat to the County.

We had to reduce their numbers while we still could.

“Sir Adrian!”
“Are you all right?!”

Following behind Kai, soldiers began pouring down from the ramparts in droves.

“Brother!!!”

Especially Serapia, who came running down the stairs from the wall in a panic.

Rumble rumble rumble—!

With a deep vibration, the tightly shut gate began to open.
I turned my gaze again toward Kai, who was hunting down the monsters.

‘He’s fighting well.’

A golden wolf running wild among the flock.
Wherever Kai’s blade passed, monsters inevitably fell.
He weaved through their ranks, striking and slicing precisely at their weak points.

He had clearly become far stronger than before.
That genius talent of his was propelling his growth every single day.

No wonder he had once been called the Commander of the Frost Legion.

Watching him fight like that, I couldn’t help but think…

‘Should I give it a try?’

I had just perfected my ability evolution.
And a mountain of meat from the Predation [S+] lay ready at my disposal.

I opened the ⟪Information⟫ tab and checked my remaining excess calories.
At the same time, I confirmed that Nutrient Synthesis [B+] had completed its evolution.

And just as I expected—

◆ Nutrient Synthesis [B]
: When the skill is activated, you may consume Calories (Cal) to synthesize desired nutrients.
Depending on the amount of Calories consumed, [all organic compound mixtures] can be freely synthesized.

• You may decompose compounds into single elements.
• No energy loss occurs during synthesis or decomposition.

‘I can synthesize all compounds now.’

Having evolved to grade [B], Nutrient Synthesis allowed me to create any existing organic compound so long as I had enough Calories.
Furthermore, I could decompose them into singular elements like oxygen or hydrogen—without any energy deficit.

Hooo…!

I took a deep breath.

What I was about to attempt required immense focus, even for me.
I inhaled and exhaled again, repeatedly, calming my nerves.

Then, a voice flickered through my mind—Ian’s words.

“Adrian, you must never fight like a human.”

I must not fight like a human.

“Fighting like a human will only be poison to you. That’s not to say you should abandon your humanity—it simply means, don’t fight like a human.”

Don’t fight like a human.

“Adrian, you need to discover your own way of fighting. No one else can teach you.
No one should teach you.”

Even someone like Ian, the Hero, couldn’t give me that answer.
So in my past life, I agonized over that idea.

And in the end…

…I found the answer.

◆ Using skill Nutrient Synthesis [B] to synthesize:
[Hydrogen], [Oxygen], [Acetylene], [Vinylacetylene], [Ethylene Oxide], [Hydrazine], [Nitrous Oxide]…

These were elements and compounds that cause exothermic and explosive reactions.

I chugged down all the oil I had stored in my inventory.
Instantly, Calories were stored and burned to synthesize them once more.

Then, combining Promote Metabolism [C+] and Regeneration [B+],
I activated the fusion skill—Metabolic Overdrive [U]—to trigger a chain reaction explosion.

Calories combusted rapidly.
The synthesized explosive materials surged uncontrollably through my body.

This reaction spread with extreme heat and energy across my entire body.

Ordinarily, my entire body would have combusted and vanished.

But I suppressed it—barely—by combining Toughened Skin [B] and Dragon’s Claw [A] into Dragon’s Skin [U].

BZZZZZZZZT—!!

My body began to seethe as if it would explode.
Even with 90% damage reduction, it still reached this intensity.

A tremendous wave of pain followed, but I shut off my sensory nerves to suppress it.

My ability, Predation [S+], was—

—not just about absorbing lifeforms’ powers.
It absorbed the very genetic backgrounds and mutations that made those powers possible.

And biological evolution…
…never happens in an instant.

It takes tens of thousands of years at minimum.
All living things on this continent evolved over such spans of time.

Humans are no exception.
Through millions of years of evolution, we reached this point.

And in just 10 months inside a womb, we retrace those millions of years to be born.

That’s because the genes passed down by our ancestors are encoded within us.

All living things are like this.

So my ability, Predation [S+], absorbs not only skills but the millions—even tens of millions—of years of biological evolution behind them.

Thus, the Dragon’s Claw [A] I obtained by preying on the Ice-Drake…was the result of absorbing the dragon’s genetic code.

In other words—my body now contains a dragon’s DNA.
And by using it, I can manifest the powers of a dragon.

Right now, what I am about to unleash is—

…the Dragon’s Authority: Breath.

KIIIIIIIIIIIIING—!!

Every cell in my body ignited simultaneously.
A towering blaze erupted from my body.

FWOOSHHHHHHHH!!!

My entire being served as kindling for an inferno born of eons.
An overwhelming, uncontrollable force.

That power condensed—again and again—into my arms.

This was a composite skill created by altering the dragon’s genetic information from Dragon’s Claw [A],
then combining it with:

• Promote Metabolism [C+]
• Regeneration [B+]
• Toughened Skin [B]
• Nutrient Synthesis [B]
• Metabolic Overdrive [U]
• Dragon’s Skin [U]

These powers—impossible to coexist in nature—were fused together.
This was the unique capability of a Predator.

This…

…was the pinnacle of biological evolution.
No need for a hero’s swordsmanship, spearmanship, or martial arts.

This was the Predator’s way.

And the classification level was—

◆ Activating Composite Skill:
Dragon Rage Explosion [E]!

[E] stood for Epic.
An overwhelming, savage force.

No further control was possible—

‘Now!’

I thrust both arms forward toward the fleeing monster horde.

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