Chapter 22: Giant Brain, Trapped Beast Fight

Thinking cautiously, Ron tiptoed toward the door. He gently opened a crack and peeked out.

The corridor outside was empty. Most of the other candidate Apprentices were either resting or still cultivating in their rooms.

After hesitating for a moment, Ron decided to check on the neighboring room.

Although he wasn't close friends with Darrend, as neighbors, he felt some obligation to confirm the situation. More importantly, he needed to ensure his own safety—this dormitory was still the safest place to sleep for now.

He crept up to Darrend's door and knocked gently.

"Darrend, are you alright?"

No response. The only sound came from inside—the strange hissing, which seemed to intensify at his knock.

"Darrend?" Ron knocked again, raising his voice slightly.

Suddenly, the hissing stopped, replaced by a bone-chilling silence.

Then a hoarse and overlapping voice emerged from within:

"Who? Go... away... don't... come close…"

Although it was faintly recognizable as Darrend's voice, it sounded strained—like two people speaking through the same throat.

Ron frowned, his heart filled with unease. In the Black Mist Forest, anything abnormal was rarely a good sign.

He quickly took several steps back, his right hand already gripping the wooden sword at his waist.

"Darrend, are you—"

Before he could finish, the door burst open from the inside. Wood splinters flew in all directions as a grotesque figure stumbled out.

It was… Darrend?

Ron's eyes widened in shock.

What now stood before him was no longer the slightly overweight researcher. Darrend had transformed into something monstrous.

His entire body twisted unnaturally, clothes ripped apart, revealing writhing, shifting muscle underneath.

But the most horrifying part was his head—his skull had cracked open as if something had exploded from within. A large, pulsating, translucent brain now protruded from the top.

The surface of that deformed brain was veined with constantly wriggling blood vessels. Some areas even emitted a faint bluish glow, as if small currents of electricity pulsed through them.

"Help… help me…" the creature moaned.

It clutched its head in agony, forcing out words with difficulty:

"It's… devouring me… my thoughts… being torn apart…"

"What did you do?" Ron instinctively stepped back, analyzing the situation.

He quickly grasped what had happened. Darrend must have taken the forbidden drug—one that unlocked the brain's potential—but failed to withstand its side effects. The result was a horrifying mutation.

"I… just wanted to… complete my Conception…" Darrend groaned.

His voice became increasingly inhuman. "I… was so close… but the drug… was too powerful…"

"Ugh… Aow!"

The words dissolved into a bestial howl. The light from his exposed brain pulsed even more intensely.

Suddenly, a wave of invisible Sonic Vibration radiated from his body. Ron felt the pressure hitting his mind like a tangible force.

"Sonic… spell…" Darrend muttered, with his last flicker of sanity.

"I… succeeded… but the cost…"

In the next moment, Darrend's eyes turned pitch black. His mouth opened impossibly wide—and he let out a piercing shriek, inaudible to normal human ears.

Ron felt a shockwave slam into his chest like a sledgehammer.[Constitution Check Triggered]

[Current Constitution: 1.4]

[Check Passed!]Thanks to the Constitution boost from his Knight Squire class, Ron barely withstood the impact. He staggered back a few steps but didn't fall.

Had he still been his former self, the force would likely have ruptured his internal organs.

"Darrend, calm down! I can help you!" Ron shouted while retreating, trying to reason with him.

But the flicker of rationality had vanished. Darrend's eyes were wild—filled only with pain and madness.

The mutated, giant-brained creature had lost all human reasoning. It let out another series of deafening shrieks, each one stronger than the last.

The wooden railing in the hallway began to splinter, and several doors rattled dangerously on their hinges.

Ron realized the truth—this situation couldn't be salvaged.

The potion had completely transformed Darrend into a monstrous aberration.

And in the Black Mist Forest, there was only one rule in this kind of scenario—eliminate the threat.

"Sorry, Darrend, but I want to live." Ron whispered, drawing his wooden sword and lowering into a combat stance.

His gaze turned cold and resolute. All fear and hesitation were buried.

Right now, he had only one goal—survival.

The mutated Darrend sensed the hostility. He let out a furious roar and lunged.

He moved with startling speed. His mutated legs stomped against the ground, closing the distance almost instantly.

But Ron didn't panic.

Following the Corona Swordsmanship principles, he synchronized his breath with his movement, evading the charge at the last possible second.

With his right hand, he swung the sword—aiming at Darrend's legs.[Perfect Dodge and Counterattack! Basic Swordsmanship Experience +5]

[Current Progress: Basic Swordsmanship (Beginner 17/30)]The sword connected with a dull thud.

Darrend howled in pain and stumbled but quickly recovered and launched another attack. However, this time, his speed was visibly slower.

Instead of charging, Darrend opened his mouth—another Sonic Vibration burst forth.

Rings of distorted air shimmered through the corridor, heading straight toward Ron.

This wasn't just raw power—it was a fusion of mental energy and sound waves.

Ron realized he couldn't take the blast head-on again. He rolled to the left, preparing to cast his one mastered Zero-Ring spell.

"Slime Splash!"

A ball of sticky fluid shot from his fingers and struck Darrend's feet.

The liquid rapidly solidified, gluing him in place.[Accurate Hit! Zero-Ring · Slime Splash Experience +3]

[Current Progress: Zero-Ring · Slime Splash (Beginner 18/30)]Darrend roared furiously and tried to free himself, but the slime held tight.

Immobile, he kept blasting Ron with those sonic attacks.

Ron weaved between the attacks, searching for an opening. He soon noticed a detail: after each sonic blast, Darrend paused briefly.

The oversized brain clearly needed to rest between attacks.

This is my chance!

Ron dashed around the monster, closing in from behind.

At this range, he could see the swollen brain's surface pulsing and flickering with light—vulnerable, exposed.

Without hesitation, he raised his wooden sword.

And thrust it with all his strength—straight toward that pulsating brain!

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