"Maybe only those with certain powers are summoned?"
That would make sense, but Gaius shook his head.
"The summoning is entirely random."
If that were true, most of those summoned would be people untrained in combat.
This isn't a time of constant war, martial skills have become more of a cultural practice. In modern society, few practice martial arts as a tool for combat. Most people would shy away from killing even animals, let alone humans. What's the point of summoning such people?
"Then there must be a reason for bringing amateurs from another world, right?" Silva asked.
Gaius nodded at Silva's observation.
"In this world, when you kill another living being, a portion of their strength transfers to you. And people from other worlds absorb this strength more effectively than those from this world."
Silva tried to understand.
"What? Are you saying the strength of the four people I killed earlier is now mine?"
"That's right."
Silva looked at his body but saw no obvious changes. His arms weren't bigger, his legs weren't longer. There were no visible differences.
"I don't feel any stronger."
"That's because the power absorbed from killing humans is minimal," Gaius explained.
"I still don't get it," Silva said, still confused.
The idea of absorbing strength by killing people was entirely foreign to him, so his confusion was understandable.
"To put it plainly," Gaius continued, "you need to kill about ten thousand people to gain the equivalent strength of one person."
Silva was shocked.
"To gain the strength of one person, you suggest killing ten thousand? Isn't that incredibly inefficient? Is it really worth that many lives?"
Silva's frustration was clear, and it was easy to understand why. The idea of killing ten thousand people for such a small gain was absurd.
"That's if the target is human, of course," Gaius added quickly, buying himself some time. "If you kill a dragon, for instance, you might gain strength equal to about ten humans."
(Just a bit more time! If I can keep him talking a little longer, the soldiers will surely arrive. They must have noticed my absence by now and will come looking for me!)
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
This hope was Gaius's last thread to cling to.
"I understand you absorb power," Silva said, "but why bother summoning people from another world?"
"The absorption rate is higher," Gaius explained.
"What do you mean?" Silva pressed, still skeptical.
"I mean, if someone from another world and a local human killed the same number of creatures, the power they gain would differ significantly," Gaius elaborated.
Silva squinted, processing the information.
"I see. So, the growth rate after summoning is more efficient... Even someone without training or experience could become stronger than a local human. In that case, it makes sense to cultivate power from another world..."
Silva's train of thought abruptly halted. His gaze sharpened, like a dagger aimed at Gaius.
"Now that I think about it... your injuries seem to have healed, haven't they?" he remarked.
A cold sweat broke out on Gaius's forehead. Since Silva had struck him, Gaius had been quietly using healing magic while pretending to be in pain. Now, it was clear Silva had seen right through his act.
"What?!" Gaius gasped, his surprise evident. Silva's lips curled into a faint, chilling smile.
"Of course, I noticed. I broke your ribs in a way that should have punctured your lungs. You were coughing up blood, but now you're speaking without any trouble. That means you must have healed yourself... while pretending to be in agony."
"You... you knew all along?" Gaius stammered, disbelief in his voice.
Silva shrugged casually. "Why did I believe your answers? Because I figured you were trying to buy yourself time to heal. Besides, you were waiting to see if I'd drop my guard, weren't you?"
"You... You realized that much?"
"Is it really that surprising? If you were aiming for an opportunity, you should have kept pretending to be gravely wounded... But no matter. I get the gist of your story. I can't tell how much of it is true, but it seems I won't be returning anytime soon..."
A faint, ironic smile crossed Silva's face as he slowly advanced toward Gaius. Instinctively, Gaius took a step back, fear gripping him despite himself.
"Oh, and it's in your best interest not to try anything foolish. You've already told me so much. I'll make your death quick and painless... Consider it a mercy. Not a bad deal, right?"
Gaius realized he had one last chance a final gamble. His odds were almost nonexistent, but he had to try.
"Wind... guh!"
But before he could finish the incantation, Silva's swift hand chop struck his throat.
"I warned you, didn't I?"
Silva's voice was as cold as ice as he stared down at Gaius, who had crumpled to the ground again. Then, with a brutal low kick, Silva struck the back of Gaius's head.
Crunch.
The sound was sickening, like crushing a ripe fruit.
"I told you trying anything unnecessary would only make things worse."
Those were the last words Gaius Walkland heard in this world.
"He's a truly despicable bastard…"
Silva kicked the lifeless body of Gaius, which lay at his feet. The forceful kick sent Gaius's corpse skidding nearly three meters away.
The rage Silva had buried while Gaius was alive now erupted, etched clearly across his face in a demonic expression.
Rage can cloud judgment, making one reckless. Losing composure in the midst of battle is akin to inviting death. Yet, as a human, feeling anger is unavoidable especially when faced with someone like Gaius.
That's why Silva had forced himself to bury his anger deep within, suppressing it until the moment he could finally silence his opponent forever.
Gaius and his followers had likely been bringing people from other worlds long before Silva himself had been summoned. The consequences were unimaginable…
How many had been brought into this world, only to find despair and meet their end? These people must have had dreams and hopes as well. Reflecting on this, a profound sorrow mixed with fury surged in Silva's heart.