Global Awakening: Only I Can Respawn

Item Name: Hydra's Heart

Set: Incomplete (2/5)

Item Type: Consumable Artifact

Rarity: Mythical

Attributes:

>> HP: +5800

>> Strength: +35

>> Agility: +20

>> Intelligence: +35

>> Defense: +25

>> Endurance: +35

Special Ability:

Regenerative Pulse:

Effect: The Awakener controls the Hydra's regenerative powers and instantly heals 25% of their total HP and continues to regenerate 5% of their total HP every 10 seconds for 1 minute.

Cooldown: 5 hours.

Unique Traits:

>> Hydra's Vigor: The Awakener automatically regenerates lost limbs or major wounds over 3 minutes. Smaller injuries heal within seconds. This effect can trigger once every 30 minutes.

>> Poison Immunity: The Awakener becomes immune to all toxins and poisons.

+++

Once again, YuWon was alone in the room, but this time with the Hydra's heart. If the two hearts were compared based on attribute gain, the mole's heart was better than the Hydra's.

"But it's not about that," YuWon mumbled, looking at the unique traits and abilities.

The mole's heart gave him two useful skills. First was the [Tectonic Slam] and the other was [Thermo-sense]. Those skills were useful in their own right. However, Hydra's heart outshined them in comparison.

The [Hydra's Vigor] and [Poison Immunity] alone were enough to outshine the mole's heart. But [Regenerative Pulse] toppled things in Hydra's favor.

Thankfully, he didn't have to choose between the two. YuWon could have it all... or so he thought.

Just as he closed his eyes and prepared to embrace the pain, a notification popped up before him.

[Error: The Awakener has gained too many skills. Please sacrifice some existing skills to make space for additional skills.]

"Too many skills?"

It had never happened before. Usually, when he got a skill, it simply added to his arsenal. But now he was being asked to let go of some skills?

YuWon couldn't believe the stingy bastards. If the game was truly for survival, then why did it matter how many skills he had?

YuWon looked at the heart and made up his mind. It was too valuable to give up. Still, choosing what skills to give up wasn't easy.

He opened up his skill list, scrolling through abilities he had accumulated over the years. Some skills were too important to even consider removing. Others had become outdated or unnecessary, as he had grown stronger.

He wasn't getting rid of skills related to <Revenant> class because that would be the worst mistake of his life. The same went for the <Soul Reaver> subclass. After all, it provided him with continuous growth.

The only skills he could sacrifice belonged to the <Headhunter> subclass. He had almost forgotten about them, as he had received no contracts for over two years.

Probably because of those gods not wanting me to get even stronger.

YuWon sighed as he remembered how the <Headhunter> skills had once been useful to him. It gave him some assassination contracts and special missions, which in turn gave him wonderful rewards.

But he couldn't remember the last time he received any new contracts. Without them, the skills were practically useless. After all, no contracts meant no way to activate those abilities.

The headhunter class was impressive at the start. But now, it had run its course. After a moment, YuWon decided to let go of those skills.

It felt weird to see the number of skills drop. But YuWon was excited about what was to come.

[Consumable artifact found.]

[Proceed with absorption?]

[Yes / No]

Yes.

Despite the confirmation, nothing happened. For a moment YuWon thought he somehow messed up. Just as he was about to let go, a sharp pain tore through his left arm.

Spikes shot out of the heart and stabbed into his arm, then pulled back and went through his veins. It was a new kind of pain, but YuWon didn't enjoy it one bit.

Without thinking, he bit down on his other arm, trying to dull the pain in his left arm. His teeth broke the skin and blood flowed out, but it did little to distract from the burning sensation creeping up his veins.

Then came the familiar feeling of dizziness. His vision blurred, and he fell to his knees. But the worst was yet to come. His head exploded as if someone had thrust a molten iron bar into his head.

The next thing YuWon knew, his stomach began churning and something rose in his throat. Before he realized it, thick and dark blood came gushing out of his mouth.

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His entire body felt like it was on fire, every organ twisting and turning inside him, as though they were being rearranged to make space for the new heart.

His bones cracked under the immense pressure, yet YuWon stubbornly refused to let go of consciousness. He did not know what would happen if he blacked out in the middle of the process.

Would the heart take over his body? Would he die? Will he lose the heart?

No matter the result, he didn't want to find out. Seconds turned into minutes as his body continued to reshape itself. But eventually, the pain subsided.

The heart disappeared from his hand, and so did the burning sensation in his veins. By the time it happened, he was drenched in sweat. His arms were still shaking as a glowing text appeared before his eyes.

[Absorption Successful.]

Fuck me... I can never get used to this pain.

He raised a trembling hand to his head, hoping to massage the dull ache in his temples. But as his fingers brushed over his scalp, he froze. There was something there, something new.

With ragged breaths, YuWon forced himself to his feet before walking to the broken mirror.

"WHAT THE HELL!?"

His hair was overflowing behind him, and his eyes had turned crimson. The muscles of his body were more defined, which realistically wasn't possible.

But the most drastic change was the two small horns on his head. As for his skin, it had turned sickly pale, like that of a vampire. Even his lips were red, as if he had sucked on someone's blood.

...I bet my internal organs have changed even more.

His body was a mess, but he was stronger now. Strong enough to take on something like the Hydra alone.