Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant novel Chapter 656

His body boiled.

But like a fever that suddenly flared up, it slowly cooled into lingering heat.

Yet the changes in his body continued.

It felt as though wings were sprouting from his back.

Shiva watched Su-ho with a pleased expression, his characteristic four arms folded across his chest.

The evolution continued.

And when the trembling of his body stopped, he saw a familiar hand at the edge of his vision.

It was a hazy hand of the same kind as Girard, which extended over his left shoulder.

[ Girard has successfully sprouted the second hand under your influence. ]

A brief notification.

He had succeeded.

“Is that it?”

That was it.

It was a little ridiculous.

It was this easy?

But it really was over.

Shiva applauded and congratulated him.

- Excellent. As expected of you.

“It’s been a long time since I brought Girard itself out...... But I didn’t know it would come out this easily.”

- Does that matter? What matters is that you did it.

“I suppose so.”

Su-ho controlled the hands as though fascinated.

The hands moved awkwardly, just like when he had grown a tail in Dragon Mode before.

‘Aren’t there any tips or something?’

Su-ho checked Girard’s information for the first time in a long while.

[ Girard ]

Rank : S+# Parasitic Soul Giant.

# Girard is one of the ancient beings and is classified as a Soul Giant that lives by parasitizing a target.

# Girard’s greatest characteristic is that, after successfully parasitizing a target, it gradually causes the target to lose their sense of self before completely taking control of the body.

# Most living beings are unable to overcome the immense status of a Soul Giant and surrender their bodies.

# Girard is influenced by the stats of the body it has parasitized.

# The first hand has been released.

# The second hand has been released.

A Parasitic Soul Giant.

Right, that was how this thing had been classified.

After all, the form he had first seen had also been a giant.

But a few lines among them bothered him.

The first was that, after successfully parasitizing a target, Girard gradually caused the target to lose their sense of self before completely taking control of the body.

The second was that most living beings were unable to overcome the immense status of a Soul Giant and surrendered their bodies.

So if I let my guard down, it will devour me?

He did not think his status was lower than Girard’s, but just in case, he asked Shiva.

- Hahahaha! You don’t need to worry about anything like that. You subdued Girard with your own power in the first place, so how could your status possibly be lower than Girard’s?

“Right?”

- Moreover, no matter how ancient Girard may be, its level should only be around that of a Demi-Constellation. But you are a Guardian God and stand on the verge of being promoted to a Constellation, don’t you? So you may subdue it and wield it as you please. There is absolutely no reason to be afraid.

Hearing that from Shiva of all people was very reassuring.

At that moment, Shiva, who had been looking at Su-ho’s Girard, approached and tightly grabbed one of Girard’s hands.

Although it had a translucent and hazy form, Shiva gripped it firmly as though it were living flesh.

Twisting one of Girard’s hands as though bending back its wrist, Shiva spoke to Girard.

- Still, if you feel uneasy just in case, do this. Girard, I know that by nature you are a parasite constantly watching for an opportunity. But if you keep acting up, I’ll cut off your arms.

“Will it understand you just because you say that?”

- It understands. I can see it.

“Ah?”

Those were not empty words meant to reassure him.

Shiva’s eyes, which saw through everything, truly could see it.

The existence of the Soul Giant crouching inside Girard.

Releasing the hand he had twisted, Shiva said,

- Serve your master well. Don’t remain passive. Be proactive. You’re capable of that, aren’t you? You’ll have to remain attached to this body for thousands upon thousands of years now, so wouldn’t clinging to your pride only be your loss?

Naturally, no answer came back.

But Shiva had made himself perfectly clear, and then he said to Su-ho,

- Now then, since your physical conditions have become completely identical to mine, why don’t you practice using your arms before you leave?

“Shall I?”

- It’s better to do it while you can. You learn quickly, so you’ll become accustomed to them soon.

“Good. Let’s do that.”

It was something he would have to practice eventually.

He disliked leaving a power he had obtained unused, and rather than using it clumsily, it was better to master it properly while he had the opportunity.

Especially since beings with four arms were virtually nonexistent among those around Su-ho.

He had to learn while someone like Shiva was here.

- First, to become accustomed to them, let’s give the hands names. Think of them as a kind of command word. That will make it easier to convey your intentions. Leave your left and right hands as they are, and give the newly sprouted arms names. Will you?

“Names?”

Giving names to body parts.

It felt somewhat childish, but the teacher’s word was law, so he decided to comply.

He did not think for long.

He decided to call the new arm extending to the left Third Hand, since it was his third hand, and the one on the opposite side Fourth Hand, since it was his fourth.

- Third Hand and Fourth Hand. Good. Shall we begin, then?

The real lesson began.

This felt distinctly different from learning a fist art or a technique. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Perhaps it was like learning how to ride a bicycle.

But as time passed, thanks to Su-ho’s excellence and Shiva’s seasoned instruction, Su-ho gradually began becoming accustomed to using Third Hand and Fourth Hand.

However, no matter how much he practiced, they still felt slightly awkward.

That could not be helped.

His existing body parts moved on their own even without him consciously recognizing them, whereas Third Hand and Fourth Hand were body parts that had suddenly sprouted like a tail, so although he seemed to be becoming accustomed to them, it was difficult to escape the compulsion that he had to control them consciously.

After teaching him for quite some time, Shiva said,