Chapter 440 Berserker

Chapter 440: Chapter 440 Berserker

Six months slipped by like drifting dust, unnoticed by the outside world.

Within that sealed space, Riley stood unmoving as waves of savage energy rolled endlessly through his body.

When his eyes finally snapped open, the aura surrounding him detonated outward like a storm.

He had reached the Fifth Realm of the Desolate Great Ape Transformation.

Power flooded his limbs in overwhelming torrents.

His bones groaned and reshaped themselves, growing denser and more resilient, while his muscles swelled with terrifying vitality.

The partial ape-like traits that once clung to his face no longer remained incomplete.

His jaw broadened, his brow grew heavier, and ancient runic patterns faintly emerged across his skin.

His face had fully transformed, bearing the unmistakable features of a primordial ape, one that seemed pulled straight from the dawn of creation itself.

Even without moving, the pressure he emitted crushed the ground beneath his feet into fine powder.

Time continued to pass.

A full year later, Riley’s cultivation chamber trembled violently, unable to contain the force erupting within.

Countless visions of roaring ancient apes flashed through his mind as his blood burned like molten iron.

With a thunderous roar that shook the heavens, he broke through to the Sixth Realm of the technique.

This time, the transformation went beyond the physical.

Riley’s eyes opened slowly, glowing with a deep, feral light.

One glance was enough to make even powerful cultivators feel as though they were being hunted by an apex predator.

His presence alone carried suppression; his explosive strength had multiplied severalfold, and with it came new, instinctive abilities—enhanced regeneration, monstrous endurance, and a terrifying battle intuition born from ancient bloodlines.

He clenched his fist.

The surrounding space distorted slightly, unable to withstand the sheer force contained within that simple motion.

For the first time in a long while, Riley exhaled and allowed himself a moment of rest.

His expression softened, though the savage aura lingering around him made the contrast all the more striking.

Then, a thought surfaced.

His loved ones.

"I suppose I should reward them as well," Riley muttered, his voice low and calm, yet carrying unquestionable authority.

Without hesitation, he raised his hand and bit into his finger.

The wound opened cleanly, and a single drop of blood welled up—thick, radiant, and brimming with terrifying life force.

As it fell, the surrounding air reacted as if facing a divine treasure.

A bottle of wine trembled, its seal popping open on its own before it shot forward, precisely catching that lone drop of blood within.

The liquid inside instantly changed, glowing faintly as unimaginable vitality spread through it.

Riley watched the bottle for a moment before nodding.

"This should be enough."

To those who drank it, this wine would be nothing short of a miracle—capable of reshaping bodies, strengthening foundations, and altering destinies.

To Riley, however, it was merely a small gesture.

A reward from a primordial existence to those he deemed worthy.

That night, after the final remnants of dinner were cleared away and the hall grew quiet, Riley issued a single command.

Wordlessly, his wives and his most trusted maidservants were summoned.

Valery arrived as well, taking her place near the entrance, her posture straight and her expression solemn, as though he already sensed the gravity of what was to come.

Riley sat at the center of the hall in his wheelchair.

In the dim, flickering light, his appearance was almost unsettling.

His body looked like that of a hundred-year-old mummy—skin dry, cracked, and sunken deep against his bones.

Every breath he took seemed light, as if a strong wind could scatter him into dust.

His once dark hair had long since turned white, stripped of all color by the terrible price of advancing to the Fifth and Sixth Realms of the technique he practiced.

To an ordinary person, this would have been a sight of tragedy.

Yet not a single soul present looked at him with revulsion.

Instead, the atmosphere was heavy with reverence.

Valery’s gaze never wavered. Of everyone present, she alone truly understood.

She knew that beneath that withered shell slept a monster of unfathomable power.

To Valery, this frail appearance was merely proof of how far Riley had walked down a path no mortal should tread.

Monique and Evelyn, Riley’s wives, stood close to him. Their expressions were calm, even affectionate.

Night after night, they had personally witnessed the truth.

When the moon rose and the doors closed, Riley’s body would return to its peak state, overflowing with terrifying vitality.

From dusk until dawn, he would take them fiercely, leaving no doubt that this decayed shell was not his true self, but only a temporary manifestation of his cultivation.

For them, this sight held no fear.

The maidservants, however—Sarah, Ivy, and Grace—were different.

They did not possess such knowledge.

As they looked at Riley, their eyes trembled. Love, worry, and sorrow intertwined within their gazes.

Sarah clenched her hands tightly, Ivy bit her lip to keep from sobbing, and tears rolled silently down Grace’s cheeks.

To them, Riley looked like a man who had sacrificed everything, even his own body, for reasons they could not understand.

Riley saw their expressions clearly.

He did not avert his eyes, nor did he feel displeased.

On the contrary, a faint warmth stirred within his heart.

Their pity was genuine, born from care rather than weakness.

Slowly, Riley spoke.

"I know all of you have many questions," he said, his voice calm yet carrying an inexplicable weight. "Questions you’ve asked directly... and others you’ve kept buried in your hearts."

He paused, allowing the silence to stretch.

"Many times, I answered you with half-truths, evasions, or mysteries."

The maidservants lowered their heads, while Monique and Evelyn listened quietly.

"I did this for your own good," Riley continued. "Some truths invite disaster if learned too early. Others crush the mind before the body is strong enough to bear them."

His gaze shifted slightly toward Valery.

"Just know this—Valery and I carry an immortal destiny bestowed upon us by the heavens themselves."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the air inside the hall trembled.

A wine bottle slowly rose into the air between them, suspended without support.

At the same time, crystal glasses followed, drifting gracefully like obedient spirits.

The maidservants gasped audibly, shock flashing across their tear-stained faces, while even Monique and Evelyn felt their hearts tighten.

The bottle twisted gently.

With a soft pop, the seal broke.

Golden liquid flowed out in smooth arcs, filling five glasses perfectly, drop by drop, until each brimmed with radiant wine that glowed faintly with inner light.

The hall fell into dead silence.

Riley’s voice sounded once more.

"I am not selfish enough to walk this path alone," he said quietly. "Nor would I abandon those who have stood by me with loyalty, love, and sincerity."

His eyes passed over his wives, then lingered briefly on each maidservant.

"This wine contains a fragment of my essence," Riley said. "The moment you drink it—when the glass is emptied completely—your lifespan will no longer be bound by mortality."

Sarah’s breath hitched.

Ivy’s hands trembled.

Grace covered her mouth, tears spilling freely now.

"You will live for as long as you wish," Riley continued. "Decades, centuries... even eternities."

Then his tone shifted.

"But I must warn you."

The pressure in the hall subtly increased.

"To become undying is not salvation. It can be a blessing... or a curse. You will witness the rise and fall of worlds, the death of loved ones, and the erosion of everything familiar. Loneliness, loss, and endless time are prices not everyone can bear."

Riley leaned back slightly in his wheelchair, his expression composed yet solemn.

"I will not force this upon any of you," he said. "The wine is before you, but the choice is yours alone."

The glowing glasses hovered silently in the air.

"The moment you drink," Riley concluded, "there will be no turning back."

The hall remained utterly still as destiny awaited their answer.

"You are my husband, in life and in death," Evelyn said without hesitation.

She stepped forward, her expression resolute and unwavering.

Taking the floating glass into her hands, she did not pause even for a breath before draining it completely.

Monique followed immediately after, her lips curving into a soft yet fearless smile.

"You are the love of my life—my handsome butcher," she said warmly. "I would walk beside you even into the depths of hell itself."

With that, she lifted her glass and drank every last drop.

The three maidservants—Sarah, Ivy, and Grace—exchanged glances.

In that brief moment, fear vanished, replaced by certainty.

A shared smile formed between them, filled with trust and devotion.

"Our lives belong to you, Master," they said in unison.

They bowed deeply, then raised their glasses and emptied them without leaving a single drop behind.

Silence followed.

Then, barely a minute later, the changes began.

Boundless energy erupted within their bodies like an awakening storm.

Their blood roared, their hearts pounded, and an overwhelming vitality surged through every vein and bone.

Evelyn staggered as unfamiliar power flooded her limbs, her balance faltering.

Crack!

Her foot came down too heavily, shattering the stone floor beneath her.

Riley burst into laughter, the sound light and genuine.

"Looks like you’ll need time to adjust," he said calmly, amusement clear in his voice. "If you don’t learn to restrain your strength, this entire mansion might end up in ruins."

He looked at them with obvious love and affection.