REAPER SCANS

I Became the Genius Bastard of a Noble Dark Clan

[Translator – TinTin]

[Proofreader – Nine]

Chapter 3

With a sigh, Chris raised his hand, pinched the blade between his fingers, and pushed it aside.

Thern's eyes widened, caught off guard by the unexpected response. He gave his brother a perplexed look.

"What are you…?” 

"I heard you,” Chris said.

"Excuse me?"

"I heard what you said about tarnishing our family's honor. Loud and clear.”

Thern seemed startled, but Chris simply looked down at him, voice steady. "Is there anything else you want to say?" he asked.

Thern remained silent. There were plenty of things he wanted to say, but for some reason, he found himself unable to articulate a single word under Chris's penetrating gaze.

He was baffled. ‘What’s going on?’ he wondered.

Though he was praised as a genius, he was still just a kid with no practical experience. He couldn't recognize the feelings of intimidation that Chris evoked in him.

No, perhaps he could recognize it, but he refused to admit it. The idea of being intimidated by the black sheep of the family was unthinkable.

However, one thing was clear: his brother, Christian, was different than he was before.

'Did that loser really change?' he thought.

Nonsense.

Thern gritted his teeth. "I'm warning you one last time,” he snarled. “If you tarnish the name of Baren Kazar, I—"

"Won't tolerate it?” Chris finished, cutting him off. “I get it, okay? You seem to have a lot of time on your hands since you keep repeating the same things without being asked. Or are you just trying to get my attention?" 

Thern tensed, flushing red. He shot Chris a venomous glare before abruptly turning around and storming off. 

'You have no idea how many asswipes I’ve dealt with. You have a long way to go before you’re even worth my time, kiddo,’ Chris thought, a smirk playing on his lips. 'That was pretty cute, though. He used to be an adorable little kid.’

This wasn’t the first time Chris had run across Thern. In his past life, during the Age of Destruction, they had met when Thern was already a well-known fiend. 

Now, as a child, Thern seemed quite endearing. 

However, that wasn’t important.

Brushing off thoughts about Thern, Chris placed his hand on the entrance of the cave. 

The gate slid open with a loud, ominous creak.

It was time to become stronger.

* * *

As he stepped into the Punishment Cave, a blanket of darkness enveloped him. He couldn't see or hear anything. He ran his tongue around his mouth, tasting nothing. 

This place wasn’t simply built to block light and sound. He couldn't even feel his hands or feet.

'Could this be the effect of dark magic? A curse, perhaps?'

The only things he could still faintly feel were the tips of his fingers. This was a deliberate allowance to ensure that he could at least feel the items he had brought with him, a small mercy to prevent prisoners from starving. 

This place could undoubtedly drain one's mind over time. Chris understood why it was used for punishment.

‘This can’t do much to me, though.’

Chris had accrued a variety of experiences in the past. Among those experiences was a time he had worked as a treasure hunter, and he wasn’t just any treasure hunter, either. He was one of the best. 

He had unearthed countless treasures that aided the fight against the Magic Empire, earning him the title of 'Discoverer of Light'. 

'The world was going to hell, so there was no one to pay for any of the treasures I discovered. In the end, I quit halfway through.'

While hunting for treasure, he frequently found himself navigating through pitch-black voids that deprived him of most of his senses, leaving him with nothing but his faint hearing and dulled sense of touch to guide him. Therefore, the Punishment Cave posed little challenge for Chris.

In fact, compared to all the places he had been in the past, this one was a breeze. Here, there were no traps or threats of assassination, and he was completely cut off from the outside world, ensuring that he couldn’t be observed.

This was nothing like the hellish situations he had once endured. By comparison, this was more like a comfortable hotel room.

Moreover, losing all five of his senses would help him delve deeper within himself. This was a significant advantage that was so valuable it couldn’t be bought with money, because it facilitated one of the training methods for ascension. 

Blocking sensory input enhanced concentration and fostered introspection. Without the Punishment Cave, Christ would’ve had to search for other ways to achieve this.

'First, I need to work on my constitution,’ he thought.

His body was the epitome of a weak good-for-nothing. Despite his young age, the original owner of this body had subjected himself to an excessive amount of improper substances, leading to a build up of toxins. 

To put it simply, his body was in a terrible state. 

However, that could be fixed. To do so, Chris simply needed to go through Metamorphosis, which was a transformation that occurred once one reached a certain level of martial prowess. One’s physical constitution would be forever altered, achieving flawless health and a physique perfectly tailored for mastering swordsmanship. 

Everyone who wished to master the sword yearned for this transformation, but in reality, only a select few had ever experienced it. Not only did it require a high level of understanding, but it also demanded a stroke of luck.

So, how was Chris planning to initiate such a thing?

'I can artificially induce it.'

Artificial Metamorphosis. It sounded unbelievable, but it was possible. He had acquired a secret technique regarding it from an ancient ruin record in the past.

Normally, this technique would’ve been impossible to recreate. It demanded an advanced understanding of medicine, a natural aptitude for mana control, and proficiency in body modification techniques. 

No one in the world could possibly satisfy all these prerequisites… 

Except for Chris, of course.

‘I also used to work as a doctor.’

He wasn't just any doctor, either. He was revered as the ‘Divine Doctor.’

He recalled the endless hours he had poured into studying, his teeth clenched in determination to make money. Ironically, however, he had failed to make a single penny. Instead, his gruesome hard work had earned him the reputation of a saint.

'My mana control even left the Hero and Archmage speechless,’ he mused.

Before the Age of Destruction had dawned, he spent his days hidden in the backstreets, running from his nightmare of a family. As a result, he picked up a slew of skills like thievery, street performance, and gambling. He had even joined a circus at the time, which was where he found himself a body modification technique.

Sure, the one the clowns used was the lowest form a body modification technique could take, but Chris gave it a few tweaks here and there, turning it into a full-fledged technique he called the Bone Compression Art.

With that, Chris had everything he needed to perform an artificial Metamorphosis.

* * *

Reaper Scans

Translator – TinTin

Proofreader – Nine

Join our discord for updates on releases!

https://discord.gg/reaperscans

* * *

'Time to get started.'

Chris retrieved the magic stones from his bag. Each stage of the Metamorphosis called for a different magic stone with unique mana properties. Fortunately, he managed to acquire all the ones he needed.

'First things first, purifying the toxins.' 

He drew mana from the white force magic stone inward, directing it toward the most toxic areas of his body.

Fzzzt—

The purifying power of the white mana began to incinerate the toxins. 

This stage was boring but essential. If he left even a tiny speck of a toxin behind, Metamorphosis would fail, leaving him with severe internal injuries. He could even become a vegetable. 

This was why an in-depth medical background was crucial. Knowing the major blood vessels behind the flow of mana was not enough. One would need to employ detailed anatomical knowledge to pinpoint where toxins accumulated.

Then, those areas had to be meticulously purified, hence why a natural talent for mana control was also a necessity. Fortunately, Chris's skills in this area far surpassed those of others. 

However, his expertise wasn't limited to just mana control. He excelled in everything.

“You're absolutely nuts!” Evan had once exclaimed. “You should've been the Hero instead.”

Chris brushed the memory aside. 

After carefully incinerating every trace of the toxins within his body, he moved on to the next phase, pulling out a magic stone containing fire force. 

It was time for the solidification phase, which was designed to strengthen the body.

'Ugh… This part hurts.’

It had to be done, however. Chris closed his eyes and focused on his goal.

'To rise to the top of the Magic Empire and save the world—oh, fuck me!'

Chris shook his head. Correcting himself, he silently began reciting his true mission.

'I will become the Demon King and bask in ultimate glory and wealth! Oh, and save the world too.’

After this thunderous internal proclamation, a terrifyingly intense heat enveloped him, signaling the start of the consolidation phase. 

Crack, crack—

With an eerie bone-crunching sound, something extraordinary happened.

The transformation had begun.

* * *

Some time had passed since Chris had entered the Punishment Cave. A week, to be exact. 

His father, Count Kazar, was visibly perturbed, brow furrowed in concern.

"He has yet to seek help?" he asked.

"Yes, my lord,” Cox said. “Perhaps we should check on him.”

With a complexion as pale as moonlight, Cox was Count Kazar’s half-vampire butler. Despite his vampiric lineage, he was surprisingly empathetic, and he had often expressed concern for Christian.

"Maybe he is in such a bad state that he cannot even call for help," Cox added, further voicing his worries.

That was a very likely scenario. The Punishment Cave was the home of sheer terror. 

At first glance, its horrors weren’t apparent. After all, what could be so terrifying about losing one’s senses? Many had asked that question only to have their confident facades shatter not long after entering the Punishment Cave.

The cave ensured complete isolation. It was easy to be swallowed by fear once left alone in a senseless void. 

The longer anyone remained, the further they were driven to insanity. They wouldn’t even be able to hear their own screams.

'Maybe I shouldn’t have let him enter the Punishment Cave,’ Count Kazar thought, frowning. ‘Even the strongest-willed fiends would falter there.' 

Given his son's fragile psychology, he would’ve easily crumbled.

Count Kazar sighed deeply. 'How did it come to this?' 

His son, Christian, hadn't always been this way. He had once been a promising child, but his overwhelming talent made him too arrogant.

He began to step out of line. Eventually, he forgot where the line was. 

'However, if he’s going to continue living like a good-for-nothing, it might be better if he emerged as a vegetable. Or a corpse.’

This wasn't a heartless thought. In fact, it was a distinct display of paternal affection. As a fiend, his perspective simply differed from those outside the empire.

Count Kazar truly believed that it would be better if his son died instead of living on like a worthless bug, tarnishing his family’s honor further.

However, Christian's final words reverberated in his mind. “I want to change,” he had said. The look in his eyes haunted Count Kazar relentlessly.

This time, something felt different. 

'After being fooled so many times... what could I possibly expect?'  

Count Kazar scoffed and shook his head.

"Also... I have an additional matter to report, my lord,” Cox said. “It's about the supplies the young master had taken with him into the Punishment Cave. He brought something dangerous."

Count Kazar frowned. His instincts warned of something ominous. "What is it?" he asked. 

"I've been told that he took a dreamstone with him." 

Taken aback, Count Kazar clenched his teeth.

Dreamstones were a type of magic stone known to cause hallucinations. Since their effects mimicked symptoms of drug use, they were popular among nobles and the wealthy as a legal alternative to narcotics. Unlike drugs, dreamstones occupied a legal gray area.

"I thought he agreed to stop using dreamstones?” Count Kazar asked. 

Among the many troubles Christian used to get himself into, getting high off dreamstones was one of them.

"Yes, my lord. However, since he's taken one with him…" 

The butler trailed off, letting the implications of the words he left unsaid hang in the air. Count Kazar, utterly exhausted, slumped into his chair. 

Christian never intended to change. He just wanted to get away from prying eyes so that he could trip on hallucinations in the Punishment Cave!

"Using hallucinogens in the Punishment Cave, where one’s senses are nullified… It’s impossible to know what kind of side effects there might be. We must unlock the Punishment Cave immediately, my lord,” Cox pleaded. “If not, the young master might lose his life...!" 

“No. Leave him." 

Count Kazar's icy tone froze Cox in place. “Pardon?” he asked.

 "Just leave him to die."

Count Kazar’s eyes no longer held even the slightest glimmer of hope.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Punishment Cave, Chris let out a long sigh of relief.

'Finally, I’ve successfully metamorphisized.' 

* * *

Reaper Scans

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