Rebirth-Transcending All Beings-Chapter 27: Goremires

The sky had begun to turn gold as Vergil moved into a quiet side street that led to the town square. The aroma of herbs and roasted food, guided him to a shop between the tailor and the blacksmith.

The weathered sign swung as Vergil gently opened the door.

The air was cool inside, the shelves lined with dried meat and bundles of travel gear.

The old man at the counter only registered his customer, before restocking the shelves.

Gathering the few essentials he needed, he brought them over to the till.

"Two silver," the shopkeeper spoke as he moved to the counter.

Vergil paid without comment, taking his items outside, before stashing them in his inventory. He had grown used to keeping his system a secret. It was the only secret he would take to the grave with him.

Outside, the sun began to rise towards itd peak–ays of golden light stretched towards the darkest corners of the small town of Vaelmont.

Vergil passed through the southern gate, boots crunching softly on the gravel path.

Eventually, the road began to narrow, the trees pressing close on both sides.

Tall trunks stretched toward the sky, their canopies thick and tangled, casting long shadows on the grass. A low breeze brushed through, like a breath in winter.

Vergil slowed his pace.

The magic here was thin but unpredictable. Feral.

"Focus and sustain," he murmured.

If he could get a healing skill–or even a passive regeneration trait–it would change everything.

He wasn’t built for raw power or high-damage magic. To survive what was coming... he needed to last. Endure. Adapt.

"Food first," he muttered.

"Then I’ll grind out as many Astralyth Crystals and skills as I can. I need to hit at least forty-five in my core stats before I even think about squaring off with that thing again..."

His eyes flicked to the side.

Just for a moment, he thought he saw something move in the trees.

A shadow? A flicker of presence?

He looked around.

Nothing.

But still–his body tensed.

His hand brushed the hilt at his side, thumb resting lightly over the grip. The shield on his back shifted slightly with each step as he pushed deeper into the trees.

The forest grew quieter.

Then the air changed.

It was subtle– for a novice to notice. But Vergil had learned to pick up on things.

His instincts stirred.

Primal Awareness flared again.

He didn’t wait. His body moved on instinct.

A second Verdant Goremire lunged from a bramble patch, maw wide, tendrils slithering from its mouth like black vines.

Ember Spark flew from Vergil’s palm before the creature could even screech–a flash of flame catching it mid-leap. It shrieked, rolled, and thrashed wildly through the undergrowth.

His sword slid free in a single breath.

He dashed in, ducked beneath a flailing vine, and slashed low across its knees, dropping it hard.

Another Ember Spark. Point-blank.

Straight into its face.

The body spasmed once.

Then stilled.

One down.

---

Two more followed soon after.

One tried to ambush him from the canopy.

Vergil ripped it from the trees with a precise Spark, then ignited its spore sack mid-air.

The third fled after witnessing the others burn.

It didn’t get far.

---

Shadows peeled from Vergil’s hand again, those same black mouths, silent and ravenous.

They consumed everything: bone, fang, spore, and ichor.

Each time, his muscles thrummed heavier with weight. His skin grew denser, firmer against the cold.

---

[Authority of Predation – Activated]

Targets: Verdant Goremires (E-Rank) ×3 – Consumed.

[User has gained 2 Strength, 1 Constitution, and 1 Dexterity]

[User has levelled up]

---

New Skills Acquired:

Regenerative Core (E-) ×3

Limb Burst (F) ×3

Rotlash (F) ×3

Mire Body (F):

Takes reduced damage from piercing attacks. Vulnerable to fire.

Fungal Resilience (F+):

Resistant to poison and disease effects.

---

Vergil leaned against a moss-covered tree, flexing his hand as new power settled into his frame.

He could feel it–his body humming with greater endurance, wounds already stitching closed, his lungs burning less with each breath.

His Constitution stat now sat in the 30s, and it showed.

He pulled a dried ration from his inventory, chewing absently as he scanned the fog-shrouded horizon.

His thoughts flicked back to that grotesque puppet watching the village days ago... and the demon it served.

’Not yet. But step by step... I’m getting closer.’

---

He raised his hand, focus narrowing. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Combine the four Regenerative Cores."

Combining skills... Combination successful.

[Greater Regenerative Core (D+)

Constant passive regeneration of wounds, including deep gashes, broken bones, and internal injuries.]

Vergil exhaled in satisfaction.

"Finally got what I was after. The reduced stamina cost is a nice bonus."

He felt warmth spread across his back. The wound there closed silently, leaving no scar, but his stamina drained fast.

It works... but yeah, it’s still D+. The cost’s steep.

---

"Next: combine Weak Toxin Resistance (E-) and **Fungal Resilience (F+)."

It takes too long to level passive skills naturally, either I wait weeks or poison myself. Better to fuse them.

[Combining skills... Combination successful.]

[Toxic Resilience (E)

Grants passive resistance to mild poisons, toxins, and fungal infections.

Reduces duration and effects of:

Toxic gases, venoms and spore-based diseases or hallucinogens.]

Vergil closed the skill window with a flick of thought.

"That’s all for now. Would’ve been nice to get a movement skill... something like Shadow Dash. But this’ll do."

He hesitated, glancing at Mire Body.

"It’s not bad... but the fire weakness is a problem. Might be worth keeping if I had a skill to cancel that out, but fire’s my strength right now."

"Convert Mire Body into evolution points."

[Mire Body has been converted into 10 F-Rank Evolution Points.]

---

He opened his Status Screen and gave a small nod.

"Allocate all remaining points to Constitution."

[3 Stat Points Allocated to Constitution.]

A subtle pressure rippled through his body–like old tension quietly realigning. His breath came easier. His stance felt more stable. Muscles responded with sharper control. Even the dull ache in his joints faded.

It’s small, but it adds up.

---

His eyes narrowed, following the quiet bend of the Mistwood trail.

That demon... it wasn’t serious during our last fight. Didn’t even tap into its true power. That wasn’t a battle.

It was a warning.

He clenched his fist slowly.

Veins pulsed faintly beneath his glove, glowing with inner force.

If we fought again right now,and it went all out–my odds are maybe thirty percent.

If that.

He exhaled, steady and grim.

And that’s assuming it’s alone. If it’s guarding a gate... a relic... or something stronger... then I’m walking into death.

The mist curled at his feet like creeping fingers. Silence stretched.

I need more skills. More strength.

But time was never a luxury in this world.

Still, step by step, he would close the gap.

And when the time came...

He would be ready.