Bro, I'm not an Undead!-Chapter 1668: Kenno’s Heights (1)

While the former Cluster beasts turned Stars challenged Soizar...

"That’s a bizarre thing to ask," Arch-Mage Ryte said, frowning at Kenno. "If you are anything like those two" – he gestured towards Savast and Baddan – "then I’m sure you’re strong beyond belief, but I’m not sure you can handle what you’re asking for."

The Mages around the two adopted a similar sentiment. They couldn’t share it, though, given that they were busy keeping an eye on the unfolding battle between the Savast, Baddan, and Soizar, along with the languid figure of Souran and all the Undead Knights.

Kenno drew a breath.

"I know how it must seem, but I know exactly what I’m asking for. It’s what I need right now. That man," – he gestured towards Aingor, who had coordinated the Severed Union Faction Leaders – "seems to understand how much I’ve changed. As it happens, I’m far from being complete."

The word "change" didn’t do justice to what had happened to Kenno. He had been drenched in Amras and, through what could only be dubbed a miracle, endured being an anchor for an Imperial Territory with more than a world’s worth of energy output.

Part of this freakish endurance had to do with the Pseudo-Immortal Physique Skullius had granted his subordinates earlier, with the gift-giving power of the Insurgent Magnus; frankly, everything the Unlimited Stars and the Stark Troops had endured could be credited to that power, but Kenno was the one who went beyond that.

(A/N: Refer to Ch.1267.)

Skullius’ faith in him had pushed him just a bit further beyond common logic. While he was imbibing the properties of Deific Usurper, he had been absorbing everything that happened within the immediate vicinity – the actions of the Deities, the Liches, and Fulgardt. He couldn’t have processed it all, but he’d seen much.

...And after enduring all that and surviving, Kenno had come out the other end stronger. His guidance field was even saying as much.

[Your fundamental biology has been altered. You have been steeped extensively in the Exora Amras of Skullius Festos Dawn, the Deity Parrhaya, the Deitess Rorsetta, the Deitess Kaella, and the Deity Eccelo (Luserus)]

[Your master’s Exora Amras is the least violent among them, and it has led the campaign to your supernatural augmentation, gently altering your potential and raising the ceiling of power]

[There are limitless possibilities]

It was almost funny. Kenno knew exactly what the guidance field meant by limitless possibilities. There wasn’t a single outcome that could be brought about as a result of his current condition. It could go in any direction.

But how? Why? What did all of this mean? What were the changes Kenno had experienced?

As Arch-Mage Ryte gave him an odd look and muttered something about how this probably wasn’t the best place to experiment, lest they all perish for it, Kenno’s consciousness sank inward. He broke past the barrier of his skin and fed into his own flesh, then his blood, and finally, his very blood cells.

Each of the cells had been transformed by Amras. By nature, Amras was a more personal version of Genuine Divine energy, the same energy that created worlds. It noted that an individual was larger than life, beyond the mortal boundary. It teased their eventual ability to create worlds with living things. It was a sign of expansion, fittingly stowed within the Broader Existence.

What would happen when Amras steeped a mortal, and said mortal survived such an ordeal? Well, their very fundamentals would be broadened beyond the potential of a mortal. In Kenno’s case, it was Skullius’ Amras in particular that edified him. It worked on his cells, giving each the potential of a Divine.

Kenno understood this. He also understood that, left as it was, this change didn’t mean anything. It needed some crazy complement to actually be molded into something profound – something horrifying.

The Unlimited Star wanted nothing more than something that even Kintar would be baffled by.

That was what receiving Skullius’ faith and trust earlier meant.

"Please get ready," he told Ryte. "I know of a way to broaden the favour I asked. It’s a pretty clear-cut way, something I’ve become extremely familiar with because of how this day has gone so far. Majestic Territory Expulsion."

Ryte scowled. "Majestic Territory? Please don’t tell me you’re a fighter of such a low caliber." He nearly spat on the ground. "This is why we Mages hate being classified among mere Energy Formers. Everyone becomes reliant on a Majestic Territory once they reach a certain point. It’s all they can think of instead of investing in other aspects of power. Why would you limit yourself like that?"

Kenno grinned. "Limit? On the contrary."

He made a seal with his hand. He’d formed this seal nearly forty times today. When it came to Majestic Territory Expulsion, Kenno had no equal now, except perhaps Skullius and Fulgardt.

"I was the kind of combatant you’re thinking I am just a few minutes ago, but now, I see a path beyond. My Territory is just a means to an end."

...And then he expelled his Territory, calling out its name.

Bandit King’s Boundless Collection.

To the Mages’ surprise, however, no Imaginary GeoScape was established. Nothing erupted from Kenno’s body, building something profound on the outside. Not in his eyes, at least.

"What...!" But Ryte quickly noticed what Kenno had done – his true intentions.

It was... unfathomable.

Kenno cast his Territory on the inside. The feat didn’t even require Nitros to accomplish because he wasn’t going down the traditional route – the path developed by beasts and perfected by humans.

Instead...

’Here goes!’ thought Kenno, grinning like a maniac.

...And all 45 trillion of his cells erupted, opening up like flower petals, obtaining the same grace of his Majestic Territory!

Indeed, each one was akin to his Territory with the same output, with the same abilities. The explosion of power nearly tore Kenno apart, but he held it in. He would not die from his own Territory, his own expression of the self! He wouldn’t allow it!

Besides...

’Dampen the output! Dampen the output! Dampen the output!’ he told himself, and the output from each Territory, from each blood cell, lulled to its minimum. It was done in a jiffy.

...Now each of his Kenno’s blood cells was a catalyst, a channel to help turn his potential into actual strength!