Deadmeat Saga

Chapter 89 – Creating a Clone

In Tabarga Caste-

The king sat in his study, speaking privately with the Reverand.

"How is Himeko doing?" The king asked.

"For now, she is still getting accustomed to her new environment. She also appears to have difficulty walking, being bedridden for most of her life. We are teaching her the basics of spellcasting while finding suitable companions." The Reverand replied.

Although forbidden from giving too much aid, that didn't mean they threw the Otherworlders to an early grave. And Himeko was a non-combatant hero and supporter, a Saintess. There was also a fierce argument over her party member arrangement. Being a rare dual heroic and supportive Otherworlder with a limitless future, they had to select her future members carefully.

"Hm. Let's not rush with it. Let Himeko do as she likes for now." The king nodded and changed the subject. "By the way, what do you think about the ones who slayed Ma Yang? Do you think they are suitable to join her?"

"No. Those individuals are too powerful to add to her group. It would be better for her to find companions herself." The Reverand explained.

"By herself? Are you sure? Because she had Analyze Status?" The king questioned.

"That is correct. Speaking of which, the heroes still haven't come to claim the bounty. I hear they already returned. Don't they want the bounty? They slayed Ma Yanf and even an Echo, after all." The Reverand said with some surprise.

Even an SS-rank adventurer would be eager to receive the bounty. There was no logical reason to delay.

"It is their bounty. Whether they claim it or not is their choice, no?" The king asked back.

"True. It is unlikely the heroes wouldn't claim it." The Reverand nodded.

And so, the two continued chatting.

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Inside the manor's bathroom-

Gerhart, now dressed with a bathrobe, stared at the tired Stella, now an Empress Slime Girl, evaluating her talents.

Stella lost several unique talents: Filth Absorption, Erotic Maid, Pleasant Smell, Bubbly Slime, and Soap Liquid Production.

However, she gained or evolved some talents as a replacement: Superior Starlight Absorption, Division -> Superior Division, Superior Linked Division(Main Body), Erotic Empress(New), Sexualized Body -> Superior Sex Monster Body, Superior Teleportation(Evolvable)(New), Superior Spatial Sense(Evolvable)(New), Superior Linked Merge(Main Body)(New), Some other tier-5 talents.

There were many fascinating parts, but Gerhart focused on three talents - Superior Division, Superior Linked Division(Main Body), and Superior Linked Merge(Main Body).

{Unique Talent - Superior Division: Gain the ability to reproduce through Division, creating independent, inferior clones once the user reaches critical mass. You can accumulate and invest more energy into the clone, raising its quality. The clone is initially friendly to the parent body.}

{Unique Talent - Superior Linked Division(Main Body): Can divide into dependant subordinates with different personalities, roles, talents, and souls but share their consciousness, memories, and thoughts through a soul link. However, these bodies and souls are also dependent on the main body and cannot grow more powerful than the main body. Hence, they have absolute loyalty to the main body. Creating each clone requires a corresponding amount of energy(The more invested, the better the quality). Subordinates are incapable of Division and cannot leave a 100km distance from the Main Body. When Divided, they consume energy but can also gather energy. Limit to Division: 10,000)

{Unique Talent - Superior Linked Merge(Main Body): Can merge with subordinate bodies, gaining all their talents and skills while improving and providing power to the main body. Merged bodies can separate again. When merged, subordinate bodies don't consume energy and add their energy to the main body. The main body won't become bloated due to merging. Limit to merge: 10,000)

Stella now had two paths of reproduction. One was a regular Division, and the other was a Linked Division, each having advantages and disadvantages.

Regular Division was limitless and could create independent bodies to continue the race. Unfortunately, they were wholly independent bodies.

On the other hand, the Linked Division was to create infertile servants with roles. When scattered, they were subjects who could do the bidding of the main body. They could also merge with the main body, providing a significant power boost. Of course, if the main body dies, the subordinates also die.

In a way, it was like creating an ant colony. There was a Queen Ant that produced worker and soldier ants to run the colony, and the Queen Ant occasionally raised a Princess Ant to create a new colony.

While it was an incredible power that went in a direction Gerhart wanted, it wasn't exactly what he had in mind. Specifically, the distance limitation was the killjoy.

"If they can't travel too far, they cannot be independent agents. And I will also become the enemy's target." Gerhart bitterly thought.

It made it so Gerhart had to choose the other method to have two other independent selves.

Without hesitation, Gerhart copied the three talents from Stella, along with her three tier 7 talents. Before he finished, however, he turned to Hope and asked, "Hope, if I use Division on myself, do you feel like it would cause complications?"

"No. It would even give you a layer of defense. If anything happens to one, the other can continue living." Hope replied.

"Hm." Gerhart nodded and walked to the side, activating Superior Division.

Immediately, he felt a tug on his energy.

The Host is performing Division on himself.

The Host has a Triple Soul and can Create a Secondary Body.

The Secondary Body has the abilities of the Host and serves as an extension and lifeline. If the main body falls, a Secondary Body will become the Host.

Reminder - Investing Energy now is +100% more efficient.

"Oh? Then I will invest three billion." Gerhart muttered.

Energy: 5,487m -> 2,184m

The massive pool of accumulated energy vanished by more than half, pouring into the condensing clone body as one of his three souls entered the clone body. However, he prevented the clone from developing the Golden Marrow or Tyrant Bloodline.

A lump formed on Gerhart's shoulder, filled like a balloon as a muscular figure emerged, eventually separating from Gerhart. The process was relatively short and painless.

The figure looked like Gerhart but was shorter, only 1.9m tall compared to the hulking 2.2m tall Gerhart. He more resembled Gerhart before awakening the Tyrant Bloodline but had the addition of many talents Gerhart accumulated, including the five compound talents.

When Gerhart looked at the figure, the figure also looked back at him. Gerhart had a feeling of double vision. He could see from both his main body and the clone's body.

"Hoh... It is an intriguing experience." Gerhart muttered.

"Yeah, this is an interesting situation." The clone said and pinched himself, a feeling of pain transmitting to both bodies.

"Then I suppose I should remain Gerhart. What do you think we should call your body?" Gerhart asked.

"We are the same. But yes, calling me Gerhart would be weird. The plan is for me to get the Primordial bloodline, right? Then call me Primo." The clone said.

"Unoriginal, but it would do." Gerhart nodded.

In actuality, he was having a conversation with himself. The feeling was a bit funny and confusing.

Turning in tandem, Gerhart and Primo saw Hope and To-Meri staring at them with astonishment. They were mentally prepared, but seeing it happen was extraordinary.

"So... Er... Are we supposed to sleep with both of you?" To-Meri awkwardly asked.

The thought was as exciting as it was fearful and weird.

"They are the same person in different bodies, so it isn't strictly cheating," Hope replied, not too moved.

She intuitively knew that Gerhart and Primo were the same person inhabiting different bodies. Whether memories, personality, sensations, or feelings are the same. They have synced souls connected by an invisible thread.

Of course, that didn't mean she didn't find this situation odd. It was indeed weird for her to suddenly get shared.

"No worries. Primo and I have an arrangement between us. I won't sleep with his women, and he won't sleep with my women unless our women consent." Gerhart reassured.

"It is your choice. We won't force you to do anything." Primo added.

Hope and To-Meri looked at each other before nodding, "We prefer staying with Gerhart for now." They both said.

"Suit yourself." Primo shrugged and turned to Gerhart, "You should go and fetch the Bloodline Injection from the dungeon. I will wait here and get accustomed to this new body."

"Hm. Hope, To-Meri, arrange Primo some clothes. I will be heading to the dungeon for a bit." Gerhart said.

"Okay." Hope and To-Meri nodded.

With that, Gerhart started moving.

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In Grand Burgheress Prisca al Mutaism's mansion-

"Your father is dead," Prisca said to her daughter without a change in expression.

"Father... Is dead?" Domentzia widened her eyes in disbelief. "How? How do you know that?"

Domentzia wasn't saddened. Her connection to him was minimal at best. She was more surprised at how such a powerhouse died and what would happen to their family without its guardian.

"Your father spoke to me before he left. He said that if he didn't return for more than three days, I should consider him dead. He never lies about such things." Prisca closed her eyes, feeling fatigued.

She also didn't love him, but he was the strongest pillar of the family. Although it wasn't a killer blow, it would inevitably weaken the family.

"What are we supposed to do, then? Without Father, our family is more vulnerable." Domentzia frowned, feeling troubled.

"A bird sang in my ear. That adventurer, Gerhart, is an SS-rank powerhouse, and Ray is an S-rank." Prisca said.

"You want me to seduce one of them?" Domentzia pursed her lips.

"Perhaps. The other option is for you to try joining the Heroic party of the new Otherworlder. With your talent, you have good chances." Prisca said with utmost certainty.

"So either honeytrap a strong man or join a heroic party, hah? Talk about a rock and a hard place." Domentzia felt a headache. 

If Ray was only A-rank, she still had some chance to snag him. But now, as an S-rank, that wasn't possible anymore. It was too difficult to tie down an S-rank. Someone like this can marry a princess and become a king somewhere, so why marry her?

Closing her eyes, Domentzia took a deep breath before opening them, a sharp and determined glint in them.

"I will join the heroic party."