Chapter 37: Brom, the Veteran Werewolf
"Continue serving you, even without an oath to the Storm God?" Brom muttered as he lay frail on his sickbed.
For someone like him, who had been a devout follower of the Storm God since childhood, Su Nan's words were almost blasphemous.
In this era, the relationship between lord and vassal was heavily tied to religion.
The Storm Church had repeatedly emphasized that if a lord abandoned their faith, their subjects were no longer obligated to serve an infidel lord.
Yet, as Brom reflected on his life, he realized that the Storm Church and its god weren't as important as Su Nan himself.
Memories of his life in the Peter Barony—both good and bad—flooded his mind. He discovered his loyalty was rooted in the familiar lands, the people he cared for, and the Peter family itself, rather than the distant and unfeeling Storm God.
"If my loyalty to you were purely because of the Storm God," Brom said weakly, "then five years ago, I would have fled with the deserters or joined Gus Pasha's men... cough... cough..."
Despite his severe coughing, Brom spoke with longing. "If possible, I'd continue to serve you. Even without a vow to the Storm God, my loyalty to you and your family remains unshaken."
"But... cough... cough... it's too late for me now. No physician can cure this... cough... accepting death is the only choice left for someone like me."
As he spoke, his cough worsened, staining the white cloth in his hands with dark, bloody sputum.
Then, Brom's eyes widened in shock as Su Nan approached him.
"Stay back," Brom rasped. "I'll infect you..."
Su Nan handed him a vial of potion—the Warrior Werewolf Elixir.
"If your loyalty remains steadfast, it will not go unrewarded. Drink this, and you will be healed. Don't worry; tuberculosis cannot harm me."
The AI had scanned Brom's condition and confirmed it was tuberculosis. Su Nan was curious how Brom contracted it, as he hadn't observed widespread epidemics or infectious diseases since arriving in this world.
But strange events had been happening more frequently this year.
Brom hesitated, staring at the vial in disbelief.
Yet, out of trust in Su Nan and his duty as a soldier to obey orders, Brom drank the potion without hesitation, even without a detailed explanation.
Su Nan watched silently. Brom would soon experience the elixir's effects firsthand.
"AI, begin recording the effects of the Warrior Werewolf Elixir and analyze Brom's physiological data," Su Nan instructed.
The decision to start Brom with the base Warrior Werewolf Elixir rather than the Super Werewolf Elixir was deliberate.
Beyond the requirement for a gradual progression through the transformations, Su Nan needed to test the Warrior Werewolf Elixir for any flaws.
If issues arose, they could be corrected before Brom advanced to the next stage.
Suddenly, Brom threw his head back and let out a guttural scream, which morphed into a wolf's howl.
His emaciated body began to transform as muscles and bones restructured. Fur sprouted rapidly, and a primal force surged within him.
Su Nan felt his own magic resonate with Brom's transformation, becoming deeper and more powerful.
Within moments, Brom was fully transformed into a werewolf. His skeletal frame filled out with new muscle, and his body regained its vitality.
Even his tuberculosis vanished under the werewolf's triple regenerative powers. Old injuries and ailments, like the arthritis in his knees, were gone.
Brom looked at his clawed hands in astonishment before turning to Su Nan.
The moment he transformed, he became part of Su Nan's wolf pack and instinctively sensed the presence of Warwick, Perra, and the thirty-seven other werewolves in the territory.
"So this... this is why we've been able to reclaim the barony?" Brom exclaimed.
Su Nan nodded.
"This is incredible," Brom said, leaping from the bed. "I feel like I'm in my prime again."
He flexed his claws experimentally, marveling at his newfound strength. "I can do things now that I never thought possible before."
Brom stamped his foot on the stone floor, accidentally cracking the tile. Embarrassed, he apologized.
"Even with this power, who needs the Storm God? I will serve you forever, my lord."
At that moment, the AI provided Brom's updated stats to Su Nan.
[Kunlan Brom]
Age: 51
Strength: 2.1
Speed: 2.1
Constitution: 3.1
Abilities:
Damage Mitigation: Resists lethal blows from mundane weapons.
Rapid Regeneration: Regenerates wounds quickly, significantly enhancing combat effectiveness.
Weaknesses:
Vulnerable to fire and silver weapons.
Full Moon Bonus: Gains +0.5 to all stats.
Su Nan studied the data. Brom's stats exceeded those of an ordinary werewolf messenger and even the specialized werewolf stewards.
However, he fell slightly short of the High Werewolf class.
The Warrior Werewolf form had one defining characteristic: minimal transformation of the hands.
Although Brom's claws were sharp, his hands retained much of their human functionality, allowing him to wield tools and weapons such as bows, crossbows, spears, and swords.
This was the key advantage of the Warrior Werewolf.
Unlike other werewolves whose massive claws limited their dexterity, Warrior Werewolves could use ranged weapons and human-made equipment, significantly enhancing their versatility.
The potential for combining enchanted arrows or weaponized potions with the Warrior Werewolves was immense.
Additionally, their humanoid structure allowed them to wear standard plate armor, eliminating the need for costly custom designs.
"Later, I want you to don plate armor and spar with Sir Robert," Su Nan instructed.
This would provide valuable combat data.
Su Nan continued, "You're no longer just a veteran soldier. My expectations for you are higher now. Learn advanced combat techniques from Sir Robert."
Brom couldn't believe the turn his life had taken. Just hours ago, he had resigned himself to death. Now, he was not only alive but empowered beyond his wildest dreams.
Bowing deeply, he declared, "At your service, my lord."
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