Chapter 235: Red Deer: The Untreatable (Special Inheritance) (6k)

He remembered.

The man before him was not from his tribe, but a wealthy tycoon who held the lives of thousands in his tribe in his hands.

Cement roads, streetlights, supermarkets, weatherproof houses, schools, hospitals…

If he angered this man, everything he had now would vanish.

Gulp—

The chieftain, who wielded immense power, bowed his head, reverting to his previous posture—or even lower than before.

“I deeply apologize; my emotions got out of control just now. Our tribe has a tradition of respecting our ancestors’ remains, so…”

Louis glanced at him, saying nothing.

The chieftain seemed well-versed in the ways of the outside world; he calmly produced a black eagle feather, upright and striking, clearly no ordinary object.

“This is the tail feather of a sacred eagle our tribe once raised. It can absorb one attack for its bearer. Since the gods ceased answering us, we’ve lost the ability to breed sacred eagles—this is the last feather we have left.”

Louis took the twenty-centimeter-long feather, examining it closely, ignoring the chieftain’s words entirely, not believing a word of them.

After a slight sensory probe, he sensed a curse power within, similar to that of a substitute doll.

Once certain of this, Louis smiled, clasped the chieftain’s hands, and helped him up. “Ah, Chieftain, I understand your fury upon seeing your ancestors’ tomb desecrated. It’s nothing.”

“But you’d best hurry to deal with it. Judging by the soil’s moisture level, it must have happened just these past two days—there’s still time.”

Kalusa felt a wave of relief—he had finally calmed the tycoon.

Instantly, his spirits lifted. “You’re right—I’ll go at once.”

Soon after, Louis and the others returned to town.

Perhaps Kalusa was telling the truth—no sooner had he spoken than the crowd around him erupted, a cacophony of outrage.

They immediately began assembling personnel and launched a town-wide manhunt.

They hunted for unfamiliar individuals who had recently arrived, as well as their own tribesman—the Red Deer—who had been guarding the site.

Of course, Louis and his group were not included among the strangers.

…

Meanwhile, as Kalusa’s tribe mobilized in full force.

The suburbs of Orlando.

The boy, Kelly, who had just used his ability to teach a bullying gang a lesson, now felt ecstatic.

Since childhood, due to his single-parent household and frail physique, he’d developed bad habits—such as… pica.

This further worsened his thinness and social isolation, and in America, isolation almost inevitably led to bullying.

Naturally, he was bullied.

But perhaps fate called for his resistance, sending a priest with power to him, bestowing it upon him.

And this ability…?

Looking at his palm, Kelly slashed it open with a razor blade. Just two seconds later, the wound closed before his eyes.

Not only that—he took the eraser he’d stolen from the bully’s desk and swallowed it piece by piece.

Then—boom!

One punch!

Two punches!

Punch after punch landed solidly.

But not on the bully—on himself.

Strangely, he felt no pain at all. Instead, the bully collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach and screaming.

Watching this, Kelly felt a surge of satisfaction. With this, he no longer needed to worry about spending his family’s money on medical bills.

No no no.

I’ve gained this power—how can I still think like this?!

Kelly’s gaze hardened instantly. He decided to retaliate against those bullies.

He stared at the bullies, sneering.

At that moment,

The bully’s friends rushed over, hurriedly helping him up and asking anxiously—only to catch sight of Kelly, smirking at them.

“Hey, freak! What did you do to my brother?!”

Reed, the coach’s son and leader of the group, angrily grabbed Kelly’s collar and demanded an answer.

Kelly flinched in panic, then calmed, returning Reed’s gaze with a sneer.

Reed was startled—could this really be connected to him?

But anger followed immediately.

How dare this little runt look at me like that?!

His fist, as big as a sack of sand, swung forward.

Boom!

“Aaaah!!”

Reed staggered back, clutching his eye—his eyelid was already blackened.

Reed was bewildered, yet refused to believe it—he charged again.

But…

“Ahh!”

This is insane!!

Reed’s face twisted in horror. He stumbled backward, dragging his brother and friends away in a panic, casting one last glance at Kelly—fearful, yet filled with hatred.

Kelly took a deep breath, opening his arms wide in joyful embrace, as if embracing the future.

With this power, he had reclaimed a brand-new future!

But he didn’t see.

On the second floor of the school building, a pair of eyes watched him intently.

…

Meanwhile,

The town.

“So, a fake priest came here before? And stayed overnight?”

“Then the next day, Red Deer disappeared?”

“Yes, Chieftain. Our investigation confirms this. I think Red Deer may have gone there.”

He pointed toward the suburbs.

Kalusa stared at the distant suburbs, his eyes flickering with hesitation.

Should he go?

If not, he could take a few men secretly—no need to mobilize the whole tribe.

As Kalusa was about to speak, Louis approached. “It seems Chieftain Kalusa is planning to go to Orlando? Need any help?”

Kalusa’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

Louis smiled. “Of course.”

In Louis’s view, Kalusa’s tribe was already his to command.

Helping out a little was nothing.

Besides, this matter seemed to involve something offered to him—he was curious what power Kalusa’s ancestor had possessed.

The technique to preserve ancestral power was truly astonishing.

He made a gesture.

A vehicle swiftly arrived.

Kalusa and his men boarded it, speeding toward the suburbs.

Night had fallen.

As sunlight vanished, darkness rose.

A murder was unfolding on the highway.

Screech—

Boom!

The car slammed to a halt, launching the frail student into the air.

Reed leapt out, glancing at Kelly writhing on the ground. “Told you to talk to Domino—now you know your place?!”

“Hurry! Come on, let’s go!”

“My dad called.”

“Forget it.”

Five or six men scrambled into the car and sped off.

Yes.

This was their revenge.

Moreover,

They planned to go to Kelly’s house, vandalize it, play a prank—to make Kelly understand their power.

Once the car vanished, Kelly rose, clutching his head. The bloodstains on his body healed rapidly. His eyes burned with fury.

He already possessed this divine power, yet all he wanted was to beat them up—but they actually wanted to kill him!

Anger drove him to run wildly.

At that moment.

A man with a red headband appeared nearby; he saw Kelly, his eyes lit up, and hurried after him.

The two ran—one fleeing, one chasing.

“Why are you chasing me!”

“You, come back! Give back the ability!”

Red Deer gasped out desperately.

Kelly looked utterly baffled, thinking the man was strange, and ran even faster.

“Give it back!”

Watching Kelly grow ever more distant, Red Deer screamed in despair.

Aaaah!!

Red Deer collapsed onto the highway, pounding the ground in fury.

Heaven knew why all this had happened!

He had merely been following his tribe’s orders to guard the tomb; though he’d entertained a little scheme to secretly transfer the ability to himself through the ritual.

But before he could act, the accident occurred.

“Damn priest fraud, damn, damn, damn—if the tribe finds out, they’ll kill me.”

“No, I must get the ability back as soon as possible, or I’m finished!”

Red Deer gritted his teeth and kept running forward.

But.

On this road.

Louis’s convoy was also speeding toward them, since this was the only road from town to the suburbs.

…

…

And at this moment.

At Kelly’s house.

A “prank” was underway.

“Are we really going to destroy Kelly’s house?”

One bully hesitated.

“Hmph, it’s just some cheap self-built shack anyway—not worth a thing.”

“But…”

“No buts. If you’re too scared, leave.”

“Hurry up.”

Several of them tied ropes to two corners of the house, connecting them to the car—just need to accelerate, and the house would tilt.

Just as they got into the car.

In the corner, a black-haired girl was watching secretly.

It was the girl who had spoken to Kelly—the very reason Kelly had been bullied: Domino.

Watching Reid and the others prepare to destroy the house, Domino’s expression remained calm, even as if she were pondering something; suddenly, she pulled out her phone and sent a message.

The car started.

Vvvvv!

As the engine roared.

The cheap self-built house tilted with a crack, waking those inside.

But…

An oil lamp toppled.

The house burst into flames in an instant; faint cries for help from Kelly’s mother echoed from within.

At that moment.

Reid and the others froze in shock.

They only meant to vandalize—they never meant to kill.

After a moment of panic, the car sped away in haste, vanishing.

Only Domino, still hidden in the corner, watched calmly, showing no intention to help: “This is fine. People who lose loved ones are easier to control—they become spiritually hollow.”

“But how did the ability end up with Kelly? He shouldn’t have any connection to the Kalusa tribe.”

“Never mind. I’ll wait here. When Kelly returns, I’ll go comfort him.”

Moments later.

Kelly rushed back, saw the flames, and fell into despair; without hesitation, he charged inside.

“Mom! Mom!”

But all he found in the corner was a woman suffocated by smoke.

Kelly, his body engulfed in fire, carried the woman out.

His flesh burned even as it healed rapidly.

Both horrifying and miraculous.

But Kelly didn’t care about any of it—he kept shaking his mother, begging her to open her eyes, though it was clearly hopeless.

Kelly collapsed to the ground, eyes bloodshot.

Grieving over his mother’s corpse, he pulled out his phone and dialed emergency services.

At that moment.

Domino, who had been hiding in the shadows, rushed out, stunned: “Oh my god!”

“Kelly, are you okay?”

“Domino?”

“I—I just saw Reid and the others driving this way, thought they were up to no good, so I came to check… I didn’t expect…”

!!!

Kelly’s expression twisted into fury.

“Reid?”

“It was them?!”

“They did this?!”

Domino, visibly frightened, nodded.

Kelly’s face filled with hatred and confusion.

He couldn’t understand.

Why?

Why, after merely resisting the bullies, had he been punished like this?

Wasn’t this power given to me by heaven precisely so I could fight back?

No.

I will retaliate.

I will crush them utterly!

Domino sat beside Kelly, her face full of sympathy, gently stroking his hair.

Kelly sobbed uncontrollably, his head resting on her knees.

At that moment.

“Ha… ha… huff… ha…”

Red Deer, panting heavily, arrived and stared at the scene, puzzled—but still rushed toward Kelly.

The instant Red Deer appeared, Domino’s expression flickered—then vanished.

“Hey, kid, give… give back the ability.”

Kelly, now looking up, wiped his tears, and refused firmly.

“No.”

???

What the hell—how can a thief speak so confidently?!

But facing Kelly’s bloodshot eyes, Red Deer instantly lost any urge to force him—fine, even if he tried, he probably couldn’t beat this kid.

But he had to get the ability back!

“I need it for revenge—my mother was burned to death by them.”

“Fine, I’ll help you get revenge—but you must promise to return the ability. Deal?” Red Deer said at once.

Kelly nodded. “Okay.”

To him, nothing mattered now except revenge.

Domino, who had been listening nearby, spoke up.

“Kelly, don’t you find him suspicious?”

“Why didn’t it appear earlier, but now? And it starts by saying ‘give it back’?”

???

Red Deer frowned deeply. “What did you say? Are you accusing me of lying?”

“Kelly, wasn’t your ability given to you by a priest? Let me tell you, that priest is a fraud—he went to our Kalusa tribe’s graveyard two days ago and stole from our ancestors’ tombs to gain this power.”

“But such power brings misfortune to mortals. I think you’ve already felt it.”

Kelly opened his mouth. “So… my mother died because of me?”

“Well, not entirely—it wasn’t directly your doing, but it did have an influence.”

Said the lying Red Deer.

“Then we still have to kill them,” Kelly said with hatred in his voice.

“Alright, we can discuss how to do it.”

For the Native Americans who revered blood revenge, Red Deer felt no resistance to this notion of vengeance.

Domi, who had been comforting Kelly, frowned slightly but quickly calmed and said nothing.

“First, tell me about your enemies.”

“Hmm.”

Red Deer and Kelly seemed to have formed an alliance.

As Kelly spoke, Red Deer gradually understood his meaning.

Among those who bullied him, two brothers were the main culprits—they were the sons of the school’s football coach. In American schools, football held an extremely high status, and athletic requirements demanded physical strength and bulk.

Naturally, their sons were very strong. Because Kelly was shy and frail, he became their primary target for bullying.

Even when Kelly tried reporting them to their coach father, the man paid no attention, dismissing it as normal boyish behavior and ignoring it completely.

“Come on, let’s go find Reed right now. I remember the school football coach has a unified apartment complex…”

But.

Vrrrrm!!!

The roar of engines filled the surroundings.

Before they could react, vehicles surged from all directions, forming a circle that trapped them completely.

Blinding headlights blinded their eyes.

“Sorry, you can’t go anywhere right now.”

Tang Mi opened the car door respectfully as Louis stepped out.

Whoosh!

A large group of men poured out of the vehicles, surrounding them with guns.

Seeing this, Kelly instinctively stood up to shield Domi, watching the burly men and Louis with wary eyes.

But he didn’t notice how rapidly Red Deer’s expression changed.

First confusion, then shock, then panic and despair.

Thud!

Red Deer dropped to his knees.

???

Kelly stared in shock at the man who had demanded his power—he’d assumed this man was formidable. Why had he suddenly knelt?

Red Deer knelt on the ground, pleading to Kalusa beside Louis: “Chief, I know it’s my fault for failing to guard it—the inheritance was stolen. I only ask for one chance. I’ve found the new bearer—I can make him return the power!”

“I said I’ll return it only after I take revenge!” Kelly shouted.

Red Deer glared fiercely at Kelly but said nothing, only pleadingly gazing at Kalusa.

But Kalusa didn’t look at him—he turned to Louis. “Mr. Louis, this power is offered to you. What do you think?”

Louis stroked his chin, studying Kelly.

Honestly,

he hadn’t sensed any unusual power fluctuation from this man.

“What exactly is this power?”

Kalusa answered immediately: “It’s the ability of the third-generation Death Crown Priest of our Kalusa tribe. It’s unique—its basic manifestation is healing.”

“Any injury, no matter how severe, can be healed extremely rapidly.”

“Then there’s damage reflection—the harm others inflict is returned to them.”

“Beyond that, depending on individual constitution and potential, other abilities may emerge, but the core two are these.”

“Healing and reflection.”

“And… theoretically, when encountering a suitable host, this power transfers autonomously—and it permanently solidifies the new host’s abilities.”

New ability? Solidify?

Louis’s eyes grew brighter.

According to him,

wasn’t this essentially a hereditary power capable of continuously unlocking new abilities?

Pass it to someone with potential, acquire more varied abilities, then strip them away and repeat the cycle…

Well, it wasn’t that simple.

If it were, the Kalusa tribe would’ve done it long ago—why have they kept it sealed until now?

“What’s the flaw?” Louis asked bluntly.

Kalusa didn’t hesitate. “It’s not exactly a flaw—each transfer causes permanent depletion. And those with the potential to trigger autonomous transfer are exceedingly rare. Since the power’s inception, we’ve encountered only one.”

“That was the incident that gave it the reflection ability.”

In other words, originally this power was only healing. Then, by chance, it encountered a suitable host—during autonomous transfer, it developed reflection.

As for why they never used it: every transmission without a suitable host caused permanent depletion, reducing the number of possible transmissions.

That explained it.

Even so, this inherited power was remarkably unique.

He hadn’t expected Kalusa to be so generous.

In that case, the reward he’d offered seemed inadequate…

Perhaps he needed to adjust his attitude?

“What’s the limit? Is there a cap?”

Louis paused briefly, then asked again.

“We’ve never tested the limit, but this power is primarily effective against physical attacks—against special attacks, it’s…”

Louis nodded.

He looked at Kalusa and smiled. “Kalusa, you’re my friend.”

Kalusa’s smile widened—his earlier anger vanished completely. If he could gain this man’s friendship, everything else was trivial.

“Yes, friend. Friend indeed.”

“Louis, what about this man?”

“Mm. Capture him and transfer the power.”

Watching Louis and his men completely ignore them and talk among themselves, Kelly felt little anger—only fear.

He wasn’t stupid. He could tell these people were dangerous.

But he had nothing left but this power. Only this power could help him seek revenge—he couldn’t abandon it.

“Kelly! Run!”

Domi suddenly shouted.

He lunged at a soldier.

Kelly snapped back to reality and dashed backward.

But.

Bang!

Tang Mi, who had been watching him closely, immediately executed a grappling hold.

Against the trained soldiers of the Cano family, they had no chance to resist.

Even Kelly’s healing, reflection, and self-derived curse abilities were useless.

He had just snatched a piece of fabric from Tang Mi’s clothing and shoved it into his mouth when soldiers noticed his anomaly and subdued him.

After brief contact, these elite soldiers realized: as long as they didn’t harm him, merely restraining him rendered his reflection ability inert.

Beyond his power, Kelly was just an ordinary high school student—no means to escape restraints.

But then—

Kelly swallowed the fabric and bit down hard on his tongue.

“Ugh!!”

Tang Mi, who held one of his arms, grunted involuntarily and loosened his grip slightly—then instantly tightened it again, swiftly using his other hand to clamp Kelly’s mouth shut, securing control.

He completely eliminated any possibility of further tricks.

This scene caught Louis’s attention.

“Huh?”

(End of Chapter)