Chapter Twenty-four: The Third Form

The alchemist is the most powerful.
The alchemist is the weakest.
If given enough time, alchemists could even forge an invincible army.
Yet their own strength is so feeble that they differ little from ordinary folk.
Without their magical constructs, alchemists possess little fighting power.
When Gong Hao uttered the words "I'll kill you all," Neil's expression changed.
He swiftly drew a staff from his robes and began reciting a spell.
But alas, Neil wasn't even a professional mage to begin with—and even if he were, he could never duel with a warrior in such close quarters.
Distance is a mage's lifeblood; once lost, even the most formidable mage becomes fragile—let alone a mere alchemy apprentice.
The thrust commenced.
Gong Hao pushed off with both feet, his body darting toward Neil like a phantom, and with a single punch, sent Neil flying.
This thrust was a technique of his own creation, unknown even to Lancelot. Though simple, it was sharp and deadly.
Lancelot was right: a warrior's way is straightforward—a single, decisive blow!
Gong Hao strode forward, planting his foot firmly on Neil's chest, then turned to Fink and said, "Fink, if you're scared, don't watch."
"Do you have to kill him?" Fink asked in terror.
"Yes, I must. There's little time, Fink. After I kill him, I'll take you to the port."
"Won't you leave with me?" Fink asked.
"No, I have to stay. There's much left for me to do. I told you—I intend to kill them all."
"But if Neil dies, they'll kill you."
"No, they won't," Gong Hao replied with a smile. "Because they'll believe you killed him. Fink, are you willing to be my scapegoat?"
Fink stared blankly at him and swallowed hard. "Yes, Shuey, I am. Without you, I'd already be dead. Even if I didn't kill him, they wouldn't spare me, would they? I'm not as clever as you, but I'm not utterly clueless."
Gong Hao gently stroked Fink's head. "That's right, Fink. Time is short—the beasts I released in the castle are few; Pierre and the others may return soon. The sooner we settle this, the sooner we escape."
Beneath his foot, Neil chuckled.
He could still laugh?
"Glair, you truly surprise me. I knew Lancelot taught you battle-qi, but you seem far stronger than I imagined."
"It's no secret; none of you cared. To you, a warrior could never match an alchemist."
Neil sneered, "Isn't that true? No matter how strong, a warrior is just one man—how could he compare to the greatness of alchemy? Or to the mysteries of magic? Glair, you underestimate alchemists. Do you really think... without a puppet warrior, I can't kill you?"
Gong Hao's pupils dilated; he was about to press down when a sudden stifling sensation spread through his body.
Neil lashed out, kicking Gong Hao in the chest. Despite his reflexes, Gong Hao couldn't evade.
He realized he could no longer control his own body—a wave of intense pain emanated from somewhere deep within, as if something squirmed inside him.
The spirit seed? The one Neil had implanted earlier!
Neil laughed heartily as he rose. "Didn't expect it, did you, Glair? The spirit seed can be awakened in more than one way—a simple, direct spell can rouse it! The incantation isn't difficult—I can easily complete it. Too bad, though—this method leaves the spirit seed weak, lacking energy. But that's fine—so long as it kills you, losing a seed is nothing."
"Feeling pain in your gut? Unable to summon your battle-qi? That's because the spirit seed is absorbing your life. Once it matures, it'll crawl out of your belly. I don't even need to lift a finger to finish you."
Neil's face twisted with murderous intent. "Shuey Glair, you dare try to kill me? You bastard! I want to see you die in agony!"
"Ah!" Gong Hao could no longer endure the searing pain within and cried out.
It felt as if something was gnawing at his innards—the greedy, bloody, venomous homunculus was awakening, ready to grow by devouring his flesh and blood.
He shouted, "Fink, kill Neil!"
Fink looked at Neil in panic.
Neil turned quickly to Fink, "Oh, that's right—your body holds a spirit seed as well." He pointed his staff at Fink.
"No!" Fink screamed.

Neil said coldly, "If you don't want to die, run now. I'll give you one chance to escape."
Fink turned and fled.
"No, Fink, don't run! He's bluffing—he's not a real mage, and he may not have enough power!" Gong Hao yelled desperately, "Don't run! Without me, you'll die! You can't escape the valley alone!"
Fink didn't seem to hear.
Gong Hao collapsed helplessly.
Neil watched Fink running toward the mouth of the valley and muttered, "You're right, Shuey Glair—I don't have enough magic to cast another spell right now. If Fink had rushed me, I wouldn't have been able to defend myself... Your kick was heavy."
He grimaced in pain, bent over, and spat blood.
Gong Hao's battle-qi powered kick had nearly shattered Neil; he had barely managed to endure the pain long enough to complete the spell.
Neil quickly pulled out a vial of potion and drank deeply.
"Ah!" A shrill scream echoed from the valley entrance.
It was Fink's voice.
"Fink..." Gong Hao closed his eyes in agony.
Neil chuckled again, "Are you grieving for him? I don't understand why. You went to great lengths to save him, yet he abandoned you. I thought you'd hate him."
He laughed and coughed blood.
"Why should I hate him?" Gong Hao retorted, forcing himself to endure the pain inside. "He's just a child... It's natural for him to be afraid. Anyone would be scared, faced with this. He didn't want his body to become a demon's cradle—he simply chose life over death by instinct. Unfortunately, he was so frightened he forgot that without a badge, he can't escape this valley alone..."
Gong Hao did not hate Fink; he understood that Fink hadn't meant to abandon him. For Fink, the day's events were enough to drive a child mad with terror. Not everyone possessed Gong Hao's iron will—most would choose flight over battle in such circumstances.
Sadly, those who run often die faster than those who fight.
Gong Hao only felt regret—regret that he had ultimately failed to save Fink.
That had been his last friend here.
"And you? Are you afraid, Shuey Glair?"
"Me?" Gong Hao smiled at Neil; both were now slumped on the ground, unable even to crawl.
Gong Hao shook his head. "I have nothing to fear. If I must die, I'll drag those who harmed me down as well."
With that, he suddenly drew a sharp knife and stabbed himself in the belly.
"Zzzz!" Gong Hao could distinctly hear a shrill scream from within.
It was the newly formed spirit seed, pierced by his blade, writhing in pain.
"No!" Neil shouted in shock—never had he imagined Gong Hao would be so ruthless as to stab himself.
The spirit seed could resist battle-qi probing, so Gong Hao had never been able to detect its precise location before. But once Neil used the spell to stimulate its growth, Gong Hao sensed its presence immediately, without needing his battle-qi.
Finding its whereabouts, Gong Hao stabbed himself without hesitation. The blow gravely wounded him, but more so the infant spirit seed—a wound fatal to any nascent creature.
It wailed and squirmed inside him, drawing copious blood from the wound.
Strangely, the blood did not spread outward, but flowed eerily toward the cocoon Gong Hao carried.
The snow-white cocoon was bathed in blood, emitting a strange glow.
"What is that?" Neil asked in horror, the first to notice Gong Hao's body's abnormality.
Gong Hao didn't understand what was happening, but in the next moment, the cocoon burst open—a golden light appeared, and before either could see what it was, it darted into Gong Hao's wound.
He felt a storm churning inside, then calm.
Damn!
Gong Hao was stunned.
He instantly grasped what had happened.
The cocoon had a third dormant phase:
Parasitism.
After experiencing plant and pupal states, it could also exist as a parasite—a fact that astonished Gong Hao. He'd never heard of any powerful magical beast with three dormant phases; even the highest-level, known twelfth-grade monsters had only two.

Now, two parasitic entities were waging a battle for the right to Gong Hao's body.
Clearly, the original spirit seed, gravely injured, was no match for the newcomer; in an instant, it was destroyed.
With the spirit seed gone, Gong Hao's body grew quiet—his new guest had also slipped into slumber.
To kill one, only for another to take its place—Gong Hao found it almost unbelievable.
Yet he felt relief as a surge of energy spread within him. This energy bore no hostility; on the contrary, it was repairing the internal damage wrought by the spirit seed.
Gong Hao knew his new tenant was tidying up after moving in—naturally, it had no desire for its host to die prematurely.
At least, for now, he could live on.
—————————————
Neil watched the cascade of events in astonishment.
But soon he rose, laughing loudly.
"Shuey Glair, you're a remarkable adversary. Sadly, opposing an alchemist only leads to defeat. See—one healing potion, and I'm fully recovered. What do you have?"
Gong Hao stared at him coldly.
He had stabbed himself in the belly; though not fatal, the wound was serious.
The new guest tended only to interior repairs, showing no concern for threats outside the host—perhaps powerless to help, since it remained in its infancy. Against other infant magical creatures, it might be formidable, but against mature beings, it was still weak.
Neil went on, "What was that thing that entered your body? Looks like you've discovered a new species? Is it some magical beast in its dormant phase? Fascinating. I'll hand you over to Lord Pierre—he'll dissect you and study it thoroughly."
He grabbed Gong Hao by the collar. "You bastard, you've cost us two spirit seeds. Do you know how great a loss that is?!"
Gong Hao sneered, "I think I can do even greater damage." Neil was taken aback as Gong Hao leaned close and whispered, "You shouldn't have come so close, fool. Even wounded, I'm still a warrior—a second-level warrior!"
He lashed out with his foot, sending Neil flying again.
"Ah!" Neil screamed—a second blow, and he was badly hurt.
Gong Hao slowly stood. At this moment, he was terrifying, his entire body radiating an oppressive aura.
"Now, it's my turn to give you a chance to escape, Neil," he said coldly.
Neil abandoned any attempt to kill Gong Hao and ran desperately for the valley, shouting, "Shuey Glair, you're doomed! I swear you're doomed! You're wounded—you'll never escape Purgatory Island! I'll tell Master Heinz—he'll kill you himself!"
"Ah!!"
With a final shriek, silence returned.
A faint smile formed on Gong Hao's face.
Clutching his wounded belly, he staggered to the mouth of the valley.
There lay two corpses.
One was Fink's, the other Neil's.
Fink's body was pierced by the puppet warrior's greatsword, while Neil's head lay severed from his torso.
Neil's wide eyes seemed unable to comprehend why the puppet warrior had struck him down.
Gong Hao knelt beside Fink's body and gently closed his eyes.
"Fink, my friend..." His heart stung with bitterness.
Despite every effort, he had ultimately failed to save Fink.
This was his greatest setback since arriving on Purgatory Island, and he had lost his last friend.
Returning to Neil's body, Gong Hao took the healing potion from Neil, drank a few sips, then placed it back. He muttered, "Before running away, you should check if you've lost anything, fool."
With a flick of his left hand, the badge he had taken from Neil's chest earlier dropped to the ground.
He walked toward the lakeside.