Lustful Way to Immortality, From Primitive Boy to Immortal God-Chapter 111 -

The cool night air of the forest had done little to soothe the deep, systemic exhaustion radiating from Fuyu's marrow. Activating five veins in a single session—especially the dense, stagnant essence harvested from Lyra—had been like forcing a river through a narrow straw. His body felt heavy, his muscles humming with a low-frequency vibration that signaled he had pushed his mortal vessel to its current limit.

As he walked the familiar, dirt-packed trail back toward the village, the silence of the woods allowed his mind to drift back to the enigma living within his soul.

"Vasana," Fuyu whispered internally, his thoughts heavy with the weight of the future. "You told me that I wouldn't be able to ascend to the upper realm without your help. Does that mean no matter how strong I become, I will always be tethered to your assistance? That I can never truly stand alone?"

"No, not really," Vasana's voice echoed in his mind, sounding like the shifting of tectonic plates—ancient, cold, and immensely distant. "Only this time. After you transcend the boundaries of this primitive world and shed this brittle, karmic shell, you won't need my active assistance any further. The path beyond the Karma River is yours to walk."

Fuyu paused in his tracks, a frown deepening on his face. "Wait... then does that mean you are actually that powerful? An immortal being... or even an Origin God?" He felt a spike of confusion. If she possessed the power to manipulate the laws of the universe, why the elaborate charade of "massages" and "vein activation"? Why didn't she just blink him into a higher state of existence?

"I am what I am," Vasana replied, her tone sharpening into a warning. "And without my guidance, you could spend a thousand lifetimes in this mud and never even perceive the surface of the water, let alone breathe the air of the upper realms. I am helping you, yes. But let me be absolutely clear, little mortal. I am a being of a magnitude that the 'World Order'—those who regulate the balance of existence—notices very easily. Getting caught by them is a fate I would prefer to avoid through a thousand deaths. Once you transcend this world, I will retreat into the deepest recesses of your soul. In the upper realm, you will be on your own. I will not lift a finger to save you from the cruel rules, the deadly beasts, or the gods who will see you as nothing more than an ant."

She paused, her presence expanding until Fuyu felt like a speck of dust in a hurricane. "So, tell me now. Does it scare you? Does the thought of an unknown world where you are the weakest link make your heart falter? If it does, tell me. I will leave this pathetic body and find another soul with the hunger I require."

Fuyu's heart hammered against his ribs. The thought of losing her—of returning to the life of a mere villager, destined to rot in the ground—was more terrifying than any monster. "No! No, don't leave," he said in a frantic internal rush. "You already told me I'm going to die anyway. Why wouldn't I try with everything I have? I'm not scared. Just... don't go."

The pressure in his mind receded, replaced by a cold, satisfied silence. He was a gambler who had just doubled down on a game he didn't fully understand.

A Wholesome Scene of Gloom

When Fuyu finally reached his family's hut, the door was ajar, spilling the warm, flickering light of animal-fat lamps onto the dirt outside. He stepped in, his presence immediately breaking the heavy atmosphere within.

Susan, Nula, and Lara were huddled in a tight circle around Manu, their faces etched with varying degrees of worry. Katty sat slightly apart, giggling to herself as she watched the drama unfold with a detached, youthful amusement.

"Oh, brother! You're back," Manu exclaimed, jumping up. His eyes were wide, filled with a desperate need for an ally. "I need to ask you something. I'm in a real spot here."

Fuyu barely had time to blink before Nula's gaze fixed on him. Her expression was a complicated tapestry of maternal love and deep, simmering disappointment. "Fuyu... what took you so long?" she asked, her voice heavy. "Susan told me about what happened at the dairy. Don't tell me you've truly started this... this job."

The word "job" was spat out with a distaste that made Fuyu's face burn. He looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uhh... yeah, Mother. I did."

Manu let out a boisterous, mocking laugh, though there was no real malice in it—just the arrogance of a younger brother who thought he had found the superior path. "See, Mother? Fuyu is doing something as humiliating as kneeling at women's feet! But what I want to do... it's glorious! It's what a man is meant for! So I can go, right?"

Nula's face hardened. She looked at Fuyu's flushed face, then back to Manu's eager one. The gloomy silence of the room deepened. In their culture, a man who gave "massages" was seen as weak, almost feminine—a low-standing servant. It made Fuyu unattractive in the eyes of the traditionalists, a fact that Lara and Susan seemed to feel acutely, even if they couldn't deny the physical pleasure Fuyu's hands provided.

"No," Nula said, her voice like iron. "I can accept what Fuyu is doing. It is strange, and it brings shame to our name, but it is not deadly. What you are asking, Manu... it is suicide. I will not lose you to a beast just for a girl's whim."

The Red Horn Spike Bull

"What are you guys even talking about?" Fuyu asked, trying to steer the conversation away from his own controversial career.

Manu quickly filled him in, his words tumbling out in an excited rush. He had been walking with Rani—the girl he had been pursuing with a singular, blind devotion—when they were intercepted by Kail. Kail was the village's quintessential "alpha," a man who viewed Rani as a prize and Manu as a nuisance.

The challenge was simple and ancient: a match of strength in the public arena. Not against each other, but against the Red Horn Spike Bull—a massive, ill-tempered beast with horns long enough to skewer two men at once.

"If Kail wins, I have to stay away from Rani forever," Manu explained, his jaw set. "But if I win, Kail stops troubling us. He'll have to admit I'm the better man in front of the whole crowd!"

"Are you stupid, Manu?" Lara interrupted, her voice rough with concern. "Have you seen that bull? It's not a game. One headbutt and you'll have a hole in your stomach big enough to see through. You're playing with your life for a girl who won't even tell Kail to get lost herself!"

"That's why it's a challenge!" Manu insisted with the naive bravado of youth.

"No means no," Nula repeated, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

Manu turned to the room, his frustration boiling over. "Hah... come on, Mom! You're making me look like a coward! Didn't Father have to do the same thing before he married you? Didn't he have to prove himself?"

The question struck Nula like a physical blow. She went silent, her mind racing back to Rana—the powerful, confident man who had indeed fought for her hand. In her youth, she had stood by, silent and proud, watching him risk his life. She had expected Rani to do the same for Manu. But now, as a mother who had already buried her husband, the "glory" of the bullfight looked like nothing more than a shallow grave.

The Dilemma of Love and Ego

Manu looked at Katty and Lara, his eyes searching for validation. "Tell me, if you were Rani, wouldn't you want your mate to be brave? Wouldn't you want him to fight for you?"

Lara and Katty exchanged a glance. In this primitive world, strength was the only currency that truly mattered. After a moment, they both nodded slowly. It was normal. It was expected. A man who wouldn't fight for his woman wasn't a man at all.

"See!" Manu shouted, turning back to Fuyu. "It's normal! Mother and Aunt Susan are just being overprotective. But brother... I don't want to just ignore Mom's words. I feel like I'm stuck between being a good son and being a man worthy of Rani. Tell me... what should I do?"

The room went quiet. Nula, Susan, and the girls all turned to Fuyu. In their eyes, Fuyu was the cautious one, the "avoider" who would always choose the path of least resistance. They expected him to side with Nula, to offer some cowardly excuse to keep Manu safe.

Fuyu looked at his brother, seeing the raw, blind hunger for Rani's approval. He saw the same ego he had manipulated in Lyra, but this time it was being used against his own blood.

"What can I say, Manu?" Fuyu asked softly. "It's your life. But tell me... what is it you truly wish for? Is it the girl, or is it the victory over Kail?"