Lord of Rot

In the dense forest, the five stalks of Griffin Grass, which had been under strict protection, were now mature. They looked identical to the one Leech had found in the bear cave last year.

Because of the previous incident with the Extraordinary honeybees, he had put extra thought into its protection. It wasn’t just about guarding against small animals, but also against mosquitoes and other insects.

If an Extraordinary mosquito were to appear one day and use its power to move freely in the winter, it would be an absolute disaster!

Fortunately, no problems arose.

He gently dug into the earth with his hands and unearthed one of the stalks. There might be techniques for transplanting and storing magical herbs, but Leech hadn’t mastered them. So, he could only hope the remaining four stalks of Griffin Grass would wither slowly, at least until he could find four more cost-effective corpses to create Extraordinary Corpse Ghosts.

After returning to Porcupine Castle, he began preparing the potion, following the book’s instructions to the letter.

He added the supplementary herbs, let them soak, and then used a small still for distillation.

The steam collected in an iron pipe, then fell DRIP, DRIP, DRIP into a small bowl Leech had prepared beforehand.

In no time, a full bowl had been collected, and the paste in the pot had completely burned dry.

He mixed a reserved portion of the herbs with the distilled liquid, forming a somewhat thin paste.

With all preparations complete, Leech took off his clothes, washed himself, and then summoned his personal manservant, Pitchfork, to apply the ointment.

The brush was gently dipped into the ointment and swept across Leech’s back, leaving a wet trail.

BOOM!

A fiery sensation surged into Leech’s body.

His back felt like it was pressed against a red-hot stove.

He trembled slightly.

”My lord, are you all right?” Pitchfork asked, worried. He didn’t dare continue applying the ointment.

”Continue!” Leech said through gritted teeth.

”Yes, my lord!”

With his lord’s command, Pitchfork could only obediently continue spreading the ointment.

Another brushstroke covered most of his back, and the searing heat nearly consumed him.

Amidst the pain, Leech felt a peculiar power truly surge into him. But this power didn’t linger; it flowed directly into his body, burrowing into his bones and flesh.

Beneath his skin, veins bulged and muscles tensed. He felt like he was transforming into a bloated monster of muscle.

After finishing the application, Pitchfork left the room. Leech would have to endure the rest on his own.

The areas where the ointment had been applied were bright red, but once the burning sensation faded, his skin quickly returned to normal.

After the agonizing application was over, Leech waited until the searing heat completely vanished.

But...

Leech looked in the mirror.

The ”muscle monster” Leech looked at his own body.

A handsome face sat atop a ridiculously exaggerated body that didn’t match it at all.

’Nezha?’

He reached up and gestured above his head. ”I think I’ve gotten taller.”

He tried to let his arms hang naturally, but they wouldn’t go all the way down and had to hover at his sides. This was the ”invisible lat syndrome” caused by overdeveloped back muscles.

’Was this a success, or a failure?’

He had absorbed the ointment’s energy, but he’d turned into a cartoonishly muscular man.

”This body... it’s as strong as steel tempered a thousand times.” He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Leech focused his mind, trying to apply the experience he’d gained from the Extraordinary Corpse Ghost Aina to himself.

Extraordinary power was a special kind of energy that existed within the body.

’Perhaps it’s residing in my bones and muscles now. I should be able to guide it, to make its circulation more regular. It sounds simple, but without the experience from Aina, I’d probably be stuck in this exaggerated state.’

He breathed, adjusting his body.

Looking in the mirror, Leech could clearly see his body deflate. It was like a water balloon that had been overfilled and was now finally able to release the pressure. His body shrank as if deflating, quickly returning to its normal size.

The power hadn’t vanished; it was now circulating and hidden within his body.

As he felt it, this power was different from Spiritual Power, and even different from that of the Extraordinary Corpse Ghost Aina.

’Perhaps it’s a difference in nature? Aina’s ability leans toward self-regeneration, while mine, for now, manifests physically, making me incredibly strong.’

”But I definitely got taller,” Leech said, grabbing a pair of trousers and pulling them on up to his waist.

He looked down. The long trousers had become capris.

The changes to his skeleton were irreversible.

Fortunately, he had only grown a bit taller, not shot up like a beanstalk.

The sleeves of his shirt were too short as well.

At dusk, a tailor carrying a small case entered the castle.

Inside Leech’s room.

”At your age, it’s quite normal to keep growing,” the tailor said while measuring Leech. ”You probably just didn’t notice it. This is a sign of excellent health! Your physique is magnificent. Sculptors would go mad for a body like yours.”

The tailor wasn’t stingy with his praise, and he was telling the truth. He had never seen anyone with a build like Leech’s.

Leech accepted the compliments with a smile.

His physique had been good before, but since he didn’t train consistently, his body fat was a bit high.

Now, his muscles were controlled by ”Magic,” sculpted to perfection, just like a statue.

Even the ”droopy” peasant girl had, thanks to the effects of a Magic Potion, been transformed into a hot-bodied Corpse Ghost.

”I need an entire new wardrobe, from summer to winter, and boots as well. I think my feet have gotten bigger too,” Leech stated his requirements. ”Keep the designs simple, without too many adornments.”

”Of course, my lord!” The tailor nodded hastily.

It wasn’t that his old clothes were bad, just a bit too flashy. This was the perfect opportunity to replace them all.