Chapter 228: Chapter 227: The Influence of the Bloodline
"Let’s... talk about that later."
Colin also glanced nervously at the Bearman.
He continued, "Bearmen are a type of Beastman. They’re all unfortunate mortals who’ve contracted Beastification Syndrome. Anyone infected gains the ability to transform into a beast.
"Besides Bearmen, there are also Werewolves, wererats, and others. Furthermore, only Magic Weapons and Silver Weapons can actually inflict Damage on them, which is how I knew he was a Beastman."
"The Bearmen of the Supreme Forest are guardians of the woodlands. They follow a strict code. Generally speaking, no Bearman will spread the Beastification Syndrome. Their children are raised from birth to suppress their own bestial nature to avoid harming others."
Ale added, "In contrast, the Werewolves who indulge their lust for slaughter are a prime example of the opposite."
"The way they spread Beastification Syndrome... it isn’t by scratching or biting people, is it?" Kase asked out of the blue.
"Why else do you think I just told you not to get hit..."
As he said that, it dawned on Colin. "Don’t tell me you got scratched?"
"Yeah."
Kase turned to the side, pointing to several bloody gashes on the back of his shoulder. They were clearly scratches from when the Bear Claw had struck him.
"Getting scratched doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get Beastification Syndrome," Colin said with a frown. "You have a decent Constitution, so you might be fine... but we need to take a closer look."
"Will healing the wound help?" Orelia asked nervously.
She had already finished bandaging the burly man’s wounds.
"Let’s heal the wound first, then... I remember that acquired Beastification Syndrome can be cured by Magic, like removing a Curse. And as it happens, Paladins are very good at dealing with this sort of thing."
Colin stroked his chin and added, "There’s no need to be nervous. Our superior is a Legendary Paladin, after all."
Hearing this, Orelia breathed a sigh of relief.
She immediately stepped forward and recited a prayer. The wounds on Kase’s body sealed before their very eyes.
Just then, Aidan, who was standing nearby, asked tentatively, "But isn’t this a good thing? That man was pretty incredible after he turned into a bear. If I could do that too..."
"Foolish! I would rather die than pass Beastification Syndrome on to someone so unprepared!"
The burly man stood as he spoke, most of his previous weakness gone. He looked as if nothing had ever been wrong.
He looked at Aidan intently and said, "You have no idea the price one must pay to wield this Power. You don’t understand what it means to endure, to bear it. You know nothing of these things!"
Scolded like this, Aidan flinched and said no more.
’He had no idea why the man had suddenly gotten so furious.’
Colin, however, understood where the burly man was coming from.
Congenital Beastification Syndrome was nearly impossible to cure with Low Tier Magic. A Beastman born with it would be plagued by the condition for their entire life.
During a full moon, Beastmen would uncontrollably transform, attacking any living creature nearby with claw and fang.
Even at other times, their bestial nature constantly influenced them, making them cruel and bloodthirsty, like an inescapable mental illness. This was one of the reasons the Bearmen, who chose to suppress their wild instincts, lived alone in the forest.
Contracting Beastification Syndrome was by no means a good way to gain more Power.
"In that case, could you please come with us to Moss Stone Village, sir?" Colin said. "At the very least, you can explain your situation to prevent other Adventurers from coming after the bounty... Also, how should we address you?"
"Oak Heart. The breeze and the stream call me Oak Heart," the burly man said.
"Alright, let’s rest here for a day and see what happens. We’ll head back the way we came tomorrow. Try to stay out of trouble. We’ll split the money after we collect the bounty," Colin said.
After all, the recent battle had drained a lot of their Spiritual Power, and Orelia had used quite a few of her Divine Arts. It was wiser to travel after they were fully recovered tomorrow.
"Then let’s go to my den. It’s quite close. If he starts showing symptoms, I can help control him."
With that, Oak Heart turned and walked away.
The others exchanged a look and followed him.
After walking a short distance into the forest, they found a massive, living oak tree. It grew on a small slope, and beneath the slope was a reasonably spacious earthen hollow.
If Colin had stumbled upon this cave in the wild, he would have assumed it was a beast’s lair.
A look inside confirmed that it was, indeed, much like a beast’s lair.
There was nothing inside but a bedroll covered with Beast Hide and a few chipped stone tools. It was as destitute as the hovels of the Frostland Druids.
Oak Heart climbed the oak tree and settled into a hollow in its trunk. He appeared to be performing some sort of strange meditation ritual, and the great oak began to sway slowly, as if responding to a worshipper.
Seeing this, Colin finally relaxed.
He could see the fluctuations of the Magic Net around the oak tree.
’Whatever the case, there’s no way a Frostland Druid could do something like this.’
"Orelia, you can still cast one more Divine Art, right? Go and..."
Before Colin could finish his sentence, Oak Heart called out from the tree hollow, "That won’t be necessary."
Since he’d said as much, the group settled down before the oak tree, each tending to their own tasks.
Colin read a book, keeping a close eye on Kase’s condition.
The Half-Orc, however, seemed perfectly fine. He just sat quietly, organizing his gear. It didn’t look like any symptoms were going to appear.
After the sun set, the group lit a campfire.
At this moment, Oak Heart, who was sitting in the tree hollow, jumped down.
Colin noticed that his injuries had completely healed.
He walked silently into his cave, retrieved a Stone Knife, then walked over to Kase and stared at him.
The two stared at each other for a while.
Oak Heart spoke, "Hold out your hand."
"Are you going to say something? How am I supposed to know what you want if you just stare?" the Half-Orc grumbled, but extended his right hand.
Oak Heart promptly used the Stone Knife to make a small cut on Kase’s finger. After confirming that it was bleeding, he pulled open Kase’s eyelid to carefully inspect his eye.
Seeing this, Colin couldn’t help but grow tense.
He asked, "Is something wrong?"
"No. Like most Half-Orcs, his body is very strong. He is showing no signs of infection," Oak Heart said. He then turned back, went to the foot of the oak tree, and embraced its trunk, muttering a few words in an unknown tongue.
After a moment, he returned to the campfire, sat down, and spoke abruptly. "My attitude toward you earlier was harsh. Especially for a seedling, young man."
"Er, huh?"
Aidan, who had been staring blankly into the campfire, hadn’t yet registered the words.
"Altering one’s bloodline is a matter that requires deep consideration and the shaping of time, like a stone being reshaped by wind and rain. This lady here would agree, I believe."
Ale, the lady in question, nodded.
"To be unbound by bloodline and station is the most precious treasure the Gods have given to humanity. You can freely choose your ideals, your personality, your faith. It is a gift that all other creatures envy."
Oak Heart spoke slowly, his voice low and deep. "Angel, Demon, Devil... it matters not. Once you possess the bloodline of any such being, you cease to be yourself. That creature’s inherent nature will constantly influence your thoughts, and you will never know a moment’s peace for the rest of your life."
"I... I understand," Aidan stammered.
Colin saw the young man’s bewildered expression and knew he hadn’t understood at all.
Simply put, the ability of Beastmen to alter their bloodline’s Power was akin to a mental illness—one that could change a person’s thoughts and actions, turning them into someone else entirely.
