A few days after acquiring "Regeneration," I immediately conducted various experiments.
I needed to understand the ability's level to determine how I could utilize it.
The test subject was... naturally, "my body."
Well, the ability is called Regeneration, after all.
"Ugh...!"
I tried making small cuts with the Holy Sword and throwing myself against walls to create bruises.
Each time, droplets of blood splattered nearby.
I wondered if I really needed to harm myself just to test an ability...
I felt slightly self-deprecating, but thanks to [Pain Resistance], I could endure it reasonably well.
Fortunately, the effects were quite useful. Minor scratches, cuts, and bruises healed in the blink of an eye.
As expected of a skill, even if it was a replica, it performed the basics well.
Of course, since it was a skill, it consumed mana each time something regenerated, but the efficiency was so good that it didn't drain much.
Satisfied with these results, I moved on to the next experiment. After all, the true flower of regeneration is...
"I'm going to do it. I'm really going to do it...!"
In the peaceful Demon Realm, I placed my finger on a rock and shouted.
In one hand, I gripped the magnificent Holy Sword and aimed it at my thumb.
My experiment was simple.
One quick slice and it would be over.
I was going to cut off my finger.
To check if regeneration could heal even severed limbs.
If it could regenerate, I would measure how long it took.
To use regeneration more effectively... this was an experiment I had to conduct at least once.
But being human after all, when it came time to actually cut off my finger, I couldn't help but feel afraid.
My right hand holding the Holy Sword trembled.
I tried to reassure myself.
It's okay, you can do this.
Your preparations are perfect.
Your Pain Resistance level is quite high, and even if it gets cut off, the Regeneration skill will heal it.
Even if regeneration doesn't work, there's a Saintess nearby and top-grade potions available for treatment.
All I needed to do was close my eyes and cut.
Just cut...
"...Sigh, I can't do it."
I had no choice but to put down the Holy Sword.
No matter how I thought about it, I couldn't muster the courage.
Cutting off my own finger with my own hands?
I'm neither insane nor a masochist, how could I do such a thing?
'I shouldn't keep being like this.'
My resolve kept weakening.
Considering the battles ahead... losing a finger would be nothing, yet I was hesitating.
"Okay, cutting with a knife is a pass."
I decided to give up on cutting it myself.
I just couldn't do it right now.
Fortunately, there was another way to cut off my finger.
The [Authority of Sacrifice].
This was actually the main reason I chose Regeneration.
Fighting while sacrificing parts of my body with the Authority of Sacrifice would be quite effective.
If regeneration could heal even severed parts, it would essentially create an infinite production system.
Of course, I wasn't considering the mental toll of the pain... but the synergy was undeniably good.
Plus, I wouldn't need to cut it myself—I just needed to say the words.
The psychological difficulty was much lower than before.
Thanks to this, I could execute it more easily than before.
"...I sacrifice my left thumb to increase my level."
At that moment.
Swoosh!
My thumb disappeared, and bright red blood gushed out.
It was a clean cut, as if it had been selected in a graphics program and deleted.
Simultaneously, a status window appeared before my eyes.
[Experience has increased slightly!]
I couldn't help but curse from the pain and disappointment.
"This fu— Argh...!"
It hurts!
No matter how high my Pain Resistance was, this was fucking painful!
But separate from the pain, the [Regeneration] skill faithfully demonstrated its effectiveness.
Whoosh!
The blood that had been gushing like a fountain subsided, and new flesh slowly began to form. The severed bone and blood vessels reconnected.
After about thirty seconds, my severed thumb was completely healed.
After expressing my pain for a moment, I couldn't help but be impressed.
"Haa, haa... wow."
Indeed, even as a replica, it was worthy of being one of the Four Heavenly Kings' skills.
It was certainly worth its value.
Seeing how it healed even a severed limb in such a short time.
In contrast, my original skill [Authority of Sacrifice] only deserved cursing...
I clearly asked to increase my level, but the experience only increased slightly.
Even though I sacrificed a body part...
'Is the infinite production system limited?'
At least the infinite production system worked to some extent.
After all, experience did increase.
However, the efficiency compared to what was sacrificed was too poor...
The Authority of Sacrifice seemed to be saying:
Value that regenerates cannot be highly valued.
Bring something bigger.
"Damn thing."
It was such a stingy skill.
I realized it again.
While this was certainly a powerful skill, it was by no means omnipotent.
It was a dangerous skill based on high risk, high return.
...Anyway, now I understood the [Regeneration] skill.
This would definitely help in battle.
Satisfied with the data I'd gathered, I got up.
Then a thought suddenly occurred to me.
'Wait, if it's just the regenerating value that's the issue, couldn't I still extract definite efficiency?'
For example, what if instead of just sacrificing a body part, I could sacrifice it "permanently"?
I might be able to extract tremendous efficiency, almost at the level of lifespan...
"Hmm..."
No.
I shouldn't think about it.
What would be the point of winning like that?
I don't want to fight desperately while permanently losing parts of my body. I immediately erased the thought from my mind.
Now it was time to return to the party.
*
"Hero! Why are you so late! Didn't I say to gather immediately after personal maintenance time!"
"Hey, I'm sorry. My business took longer than expected."
"I think someone who can't even keep time doesn't deserve to be a Hero."
As soon as I returned to the party, Camilla and Lily started nagging me.
Making such a fuss just because I was a few minutes late.
After finishing my experiments, I returned immediately, but I couldn't help being a few minutes late.
Living in a group meant personal time was hard to come by, so I had to do all my experiments at once, which took quite a while.
'It's not like I could crash into walls and cut myself with a knife in front of my teammates.'
If I did such crazy things in front of them, my already rock-bottom reputation would sink even further.
"...What's that blood on your clothes?"
While I was thinking this, the Saintess asked from beside me.
Following her gaze, I noticed spots of blood on my sleeve.
I mentally slapped my forehead.
'Oops.'
It seemed that blood had splattered onto my clothes during the experiments.
I was in such a hurry that I hadn't noticed.
"It definitely looks like blood..."
"Hahaha, I must have gotten something on me while rushing here. Come on, let's focus on packing. We have a lot to prepare."
I said this while quickly rolling up my sleeve. It would be troublesome if this was discovered.
The Curse of Distortion on my body could cause misunderstandings even from something like this.
I could already imagine it: the Mage screaming about who I killed, the Rogue muttering suspicions, the Knight demanding to know the source of the blood...
And if I told the truth, they probably wouldn't believe me because of the Curse of Distrust.
'Just thinking about it gives me a headache.'
It's best to avoid such troublesome situations.
Fortunately, the Saintess didn't press the issue further, perhaps because she hadn't gotten a good look.
She just kept staring at my left sleeve for a long time...
I could hear her muttering quietly with furrowed brows.
"What on earth are you doing..."
It seemed I couldn't escape the Saintess's suspicious gaze.
Still, she wasn't telling the other party members, so it seemed she wanted to let it slide quietly.
That was fortunate.
We were doing something much more important than discussing the source of some blood.
Our Hero Party was having our final personal rest time before reorganizing our luggage.
We needed to depart for a new location soon.
We might spend anywhere from a few days to several months there, so we needed to pack thoroughly and systematically.
Rest periods would likely become scarce, so we needed to mentally prepare ourselves as well.
That's right.
We had finally arrived.
The castle of Valkan, the Insect King, first of the Four Heavenly Kings.
Chunghoe Castle.
His imposing, massive dark-colored castle came into view.
So vast and enormous that it looked less like a castle and more like an entire country.
In fact, that wasn't far from the truth.
His royal castle, home to hundreds of thousands or millions of insects, was already no different from a nation.
We were essentially five people entering an enemy country with tens of thousands of enemies.
With only one goal.
To take the head of the king who reigned majestically at its center.
Just hearing it makes me want to vomit at the difficulty...
'But what can we do?'
We have to do it. To clear this cursed game, if nothing else.
And so we entered the Insect King's castle.