Reborn Regress Return: I Am the Heir of Shadows!

Julian slowly rolled over and pushed Fran onto her side in the recovery position. He leaned close, listening for her breath. "Mmh…" Fran started to stir, her breathing heavy but shallow, causing him to feel relieved.

The forest became eerily silence the moment the monster died—only the subtle whistle of wind echoed while Umbra hovered around Julian's body.

"Fran... Frank wake—up." He tapped her cheeks, creating a small rosy mark.

"Nn, five minutes... my body hurts."

Fran stretched out, her bones cracking and popping into place as she lifted her head from the ground and observed the surroundings. At first, she seemed dazed and still not quite focused, but by the time she rose to her feet, swaying slightly, she had recovered.

"Julian? What happened?" She asked in a nervous voice, looking at the massive crater filled with corrupted black fluids.

"Don't worry, we managed to defeat him... but it was a bit dangerous."

"A bit. Are you being sarcastic?" Fran snapped back, her body covered in wounds. If not for their last attempt being successful. Then Fran would have died along with Julian and Umbra.

"Haha, my bad don't be angry."

"I'm just glad to still be alive," Fran said with a long sigh before leaning against Julian's shoulder, her legs still weak from the sudden shockwave that knocked her down. "What about the corpse? Does it have anything good?" She couldn't let that be the end of it and wanted to gain something from the kill.

"Honestly, I only just woke up... Umbra can you check?"

"Of course... Master, please rest."

The ghostly shade fluttered around him before zipping towards the crater and dropping into the soggy, wet mud that squelched under her feet. Umbra knelt, spreading the mixed substance apart to find a vial of black liquid. Her eyes shone with a crimson light when touching the vial, almost tempted to drink it on the spot.

"..."

However, she snapped out of the strange trance by shaking her head and turned to Julian and zoomed towards him in the shape of dark mist.

"I've recovered this!"

She held up a vial of the corrupted liquid before handing it over with a pleased smile under her black mask.

"Hmm? A vial, how strange."

"It looks horrible! You can have it..." Fran muttered, twisting her face in pure disgust.

The cold vial carried an icy chill spreading through his gauntlet, which made Julian a little confused because he shouldn't be able to feel it. "Curious..." he muttered before his eyes flicked towards the system panel to learn what exactly this was.

▼ Unknown Vial

- Unknown Effect

- Unknown Effect

A curious vial of dark liquid, sticky and carrying the scent of licorice and aniseed.

[The system cannot detect any negative effects from this elixir!]

It was the first time he experienced this because it didn't explain the title or effects or revealed even when scanning it with the system. Julian's eyes narrowed, curious at first, but the system claimed it wouldn't cause negative effects, which enticed him.

"Maybe we could sell it?"

Fran looked at the vial with a tilted head and squinted eyes. "Perhaps?"

She didn't understand the draw to it. Rather, she couldn't help but feel a sense of rejection to it, while Umbra and Julian both felt an attraction to it, almost like a drug.

"Should I just drink it?"

"Eh are you serious!?" Fran retorted, pulling on his arm as she almost shouted in his ears.

Julian turned to Fran and nodded because he knew something she didn't; maybe it was the origin that made a natural member of this world so cautious. 'Or is it Fran's instincts?'

Demi-humans were famous for their improved senses, which surpassed most humans and even the elves. Julian glanced at Umbra, who stared at the vial with longing eyes, her fingers twitching to grab it.

'I should get rid of it soon, let's drink it.'

He couldn't stop himself and unfastened the cork, as the puff of licorice and aniseed flowed into his nose, like the scent of a horrible medicine he gagged. The eyes of Fran watched him with concern.

Meanwhile, Julian placed the cold vial against his lips and closed his eyes.

"Here goes!"

Gulp—! The moment the licorice taste filled his mouth, he couldn't help but shudder. A thick, syrup-like fluid slowly travelled down his throat, despite swallowing several times as it took forever for the last drop to pass his gullet.

"Eww..."

Fran covered her face with both hands because of the expression on Julian's face.

His face turned pale, then red, before back to a purple shade from the disgusting aftertaste.

A notification appeared in front of him:

[Congratulations!]

▼ You've digested a chaotic Elixir!

Attack: +10

Magic: +10

HP: -50

"Although you managed to survive this time, should you try again, something tells you to avoid it the next time."

Unique Item: A small whisper in the back of your mind insists you never try again.

The messages flowed through Julian's mind, but the next moment, a searing pain followed the black fluid. It spread through his throat, to his muscles, and then his organs as if melting his flesh.

He dropped to his knees while grabbing the ground, scooping dirt in his hands.

"Julian?!"

"I'm alright... it's just because of the sudden change in my body." Even though he tried to speak normally to stop Fran from worrying, but couldn't stop Umbra, who hovered around him, understood everything. Her red eyes shifted between the vial and his body.

'Why do I feel so tired? Is this because I lost some HP?'

His body felt heavy, with his muscles throbbing. The sudden increase didn't restore his lost stamina, but thanks to his new strength, the weight of Fran's curvy body no longer made him struggle to walk or move. "Haa..." With a deep breath, he felt a load off his shoulders. Since he managed to level up again, it was time to log out.

"Shall we return to the village?"

"A-Are you sure you're ready? Don't force yourself."

"It's fine. Let's head back before we get into another fight."

Julian smiled, but Fran and Umbra knew the elixir caused him pain. Yet, didn't want to stop him as he brushed himself off.

The journey back to the village was silent, with Fran holding on to him under the guise of helping him walk because his right leg seemed to drag slightly with each step.

However, the warm gaze directed at him couldn't fool the villagers watching them return from the portal. The moment he stepped into the gate, the figure of Umbra vanished, returning to his protection.

"Is he the leaders mate?"

"Of course... it makes sense, he's good looking and strong."

"Open the gates!"

What surprised Julian upon entering the village was seeing them cutting seven monster corpses apart in the centre of the plaza. It made him realise how spoiled gamers were.

The meat and look automatically got dismantled and sorted into parts, but these people had to cut, carve and butcher them.

"C-Come visit my place for a while before you go..."

"Huh? Why so sudden Fran?" Julian asked in confusion.

She rubbed her head, looking away with a shy expression. "Come on, don't embarrass a woman... I'm just going to thank you with a meal."

'Thank me?' He wondered, tilting his head because she didn't need to do anything.

However, with his body a little worse for the weather, he decided to accept her offer, flicking his gaze to his attributes after suffering from the battle and foul elixir.

'I guess it's a one time use item...'

What made him amused was that all his shades gained half the effect of the vial... gaining +5 to their attack and Magic.

He then realised that he should start focusing on his talent tree when returning to reality and choosing his points to increase his strength further.

Julian Pendragon • Shadow Mancer (SSSR)

• Level: 15 (3,000/16,000)

• HP: 250

• MP: 350

• Attack: 22

• Defence: 15 (+7)

• Speed: 9

• Magic: 35 (+2)

• Total: 81

• Command Points: (0/20)

• Bonus Attribute Points: 0

• Bonus Talent Points: 8

The massive changes made him feel his earlier self was stupid, believing he might not fight in physical or melee combat. Now that his attributes had increased so much, he could probably crush most warriors and guardians.

"Careful..." Julian complained as Fran grabbed his arm and pulled her into the large wooden hut that now looked much cleaner, with the windows and doors reinforced with wooden logs and planks.

"Huh... this is your home? It seems so much different."

Small trinkets and little tools lay on the table, with a small sofa that didn't suit the village but looked comfortable, but some places made Julian worry. A bucket full of soaked bandages in what seemed to be bleach, while near the door a bloody box with dozens of bandages and medical waste covered in blood.

Fran's face lit up when she heard those words because she took a lot of pride in her home.

"You struggled hard these past four months..."

Julian slowly looked towards Fran, as she noticed the bloody box and gasped, covering her mouth and rushing to it and tossing them into the bleach. "D-Don't worry, these aren't new... the bleach is to remove the bloody scent—it attracts monsters."

Julian felt his heart tighten with pain because he could tell the difference between old and fresh blood. "I see... then are you going to cook for me, huh?" He tried to switch the subject before a girl entered the room.

"Sister are you home?" A milky voice, and soft fluffy blue hair with pink tips and drooping rabbit ears.

"Ah?! sister is this the boyfriend you bragged about?"

The girl's words caused both of them to freeze in an awkward silence before Fran shouted her sister's name with a bright red face and swinging her arm.

"Eris!"