Chapter 46 -46- Blessing in Disguise
After accepting another set of three C-rank missions, Link once again set off toward the frontlines.
His luck this time? Not bad at all.
Amazingly, one of the tasks was actually connected to the Life-Bound Pact talent—a crucial component of his "Death Plan." Both Life-Bound Pact and the elusive Cycle Wyrm could be found in the same dangerous region: the Southern Swarm Valley.
This valley was a bizarre and perilous place, tucked within a dark, abyssal gorge where sunlight never reached. The land below was thick with decaying organic matter, making it a veritable paradise for insectoid moonfolk. Damp, shadowy, and teeming with life, the Southern Swarm Valley was the kind of place that made most people turn back at the entrance.
Fortunately, Link's task was simple in theory: locate two different insect species and bring them back to the outpost for research purposes.
With Lib's guidance, he quickly tracked down one of his targets: the Reaper Worm. This peculiar insect was the original bearer of the Life-Bound Pact—a racial talent embedded into its very biology.
At first glance, the Reaper Worm was unimpressive. It was small, sickly yellow, and vaguely repulsive to look at. But appearances could be deceiving. These insects were deeply loyal to their mates, to a degree that shamed even the deepest human attachments.
If a mated pair of Reaper Worms survived long enough without either sustaining lethal damage, they would undergo a miraculous transformation—emerging from their cocooned state as a beautiful butterfly pair, free and radiant, with their strength soaring to unimaginable heights.
But if one of the worms were to die? The other would immediately perish alongside it, unable to endure the separation.
Link couldn't help but admire the depth of their bond. In a way, the raw, instinctive devotion of these creatures far surpassed the fleeting loyalties of humans.
To acquire the talent, Link allowed himself to be poisoned by the Reaper Worm's venom. His body went limp as death claimed him once more.