Chapter 1003: Conjunction Spell Master (4)
“Evan Martinez. Your case is, in many ways, quite rare.”
Click!
The Conjunction Spell Master, lightly flicking a syringe needle with his finger, spoke.
He lined up syringes filled with drugs one by one on a modular stand.
He wasn’t injecting the drugs as soon as they were filled, but rather storing them for a period of time.
This was a method commonly used by addicts of magic-synthesized drugs, settling impurities to quickly enhance efficacy.
“A rogue wizard unaligned with any tower’s lineage. The heir of Jaegis Eternor. The slayer of the 10th Apostle Amrita Fraubel.”
The Conjunction Spell Master, who had swiftly filled over a dozen ampoules with drugs, began to speak.
“Despite possessing honors and achievements that most wouldn’t gain even one of in a lifetime, your official activities are extremely rare. Even more so, given such a background, that your past remains unknown.”
“……”
“It’s well known even in the Central Council that Lapis held you in such high regard, despite your minimal activity as a Watcher. There have been countless speculations about the reason…”
He hung the ampoule on the stand and picked up a sharp scalpel from a machine nearby.
“I suspect the answer lies within your body.”
“You think dissecting my body will reveal the answer?”
“Where does your lineage come from? Who are your ancestors? What is the source of the power embedded in your genetic information?”
The Conjunction Spell Master countered, adjusting his grip on the scalpel.
“Magic-based medicine is the work of combining spellcraft data and magic theory to unravel mysteries. This is also linked to adding previously unknown cases and talents to our database in human history.”
“……”
“Exceptional talent is, by definition, an irregular, transcending the standards of its species. I believe I can create new standards by collecting and averaging such outliers.”
The Conjunction Spell Master spoke, rolling up the sleeve of Lennok’s right arm, which was bound to the operating table, and bringing the scalpel to his skin.
“In other words, it’s a process of forcibly raising the upper limit allowed to humanity.”
“Sounds like you want to evolve the human species all by yourself.”
“Oh, I don’t mean to claim such a grand cause. Rather, it’s more accurate to say that if I continue this work, I get a sense of how far I can go.”
The Conjunction Spell Master’s eyes, meeting Lennok’s gaze, shone with a mineral-like gleam.
“More than anything… it’s fun.”
“……”
“Talents that have manifested as uniquely as mine, or even more so… I am fascinated by the work of dissecting and exploring such things.”
The Conjunction Spell Master, staring intently into Lennok’s eyes, asked.
“Don’t you think it’s a decent hobby, if one considers it finding some meaning in this dying world?”
“No. There’s no way that’s true.”
Lennok replied, feeling the cold touch of the scalpel on the skin of his wrist.
Feeling the scalpel’s pressure slowly intensify, Lennok stared directly into the Conjunction Spell Master’s eyes.
“Because there’s no way the Grand Spell Master of the Alliance would settle in Gateway City just to enjoy a hobby.”
“……”
“Enough with the useless chatter. If you’re going to do it, start quickly.”
Lennok chuckled and nodded at the Conjunction Spell Master.
“Your ‘hobby.’ If you start now, won’t there be time left until the next surgery?”
“Well, that’s true. But there’s no need to worry so much.”
The Conjunction Spell Master’s eyes, peeking over his mask, curved into a smile.
“The time remaining until the second surgery is 14 minutes and 20 seconds. Plenty of time to turn a spellcaster inside out from head to toe.”
The moment the scalpel’s blade dug into Lennok’s skin, a barrier formation shimmered into existence, emitting a dazzling light.
CRACK!!
The barrier formation rotated, pushing back the scalpel’s blade and protecting Lennok’s skin from harm.
The pattern of the spell formation flowed rapidly over the point where the blade touched, like a transparent armor covering his skin.
“Jindun’s barrier spellcraft. That’s not surprising.”
But the Conjunction Spell Master showed no surprise at the manifestation of the barrier formation protecting Lennok’s body.
He simply took one of the many ampoules hanging on the stand.
“Rather than adding a special incantation or spell, it’s probably a power like self-protection or the barrier-form of survival instinct. Especially considering it didn’t manifest until you were in my grasp.”
The Conjunction Spell Master muttered, holding up the ampoule.
“A situation within expectations.”
STAB!!
He unhesitatingly plunged the raised syringe into a machine placed next to the operating table.
The machine, injected with the ampoule, vibrated violently, revealing pink flesh between its joints.
WHIRRRR!!
Sharp, saw-like blades popped out from between the flesh, spinning roughly.
Only then did Lennok realize the true nature of the machines in this operating room, and he gave a bitter laugh.
“You’ve even made your surgical equipment into chimeras? You’re insane.”
“It would have made for a good example if I had shown you my operating room beforehand, but I generally don’t use innocent people as materials.”
The Conjunction Spell Master leisurely responded to Lennok’s question.
“Only those who are public enemies of the Alliance, fools who challenged me, or useful superhumans are ‘utilized’. And this surgical equipment…”
The Conjunction Spell Master grabbed the surgical equipment, tilting it towards Lennok’s wrist, and said.
“It was made from capturing a collateral descendant of Jaegis Eternor.”
“…!!!”
The moment Lennok’s face hardened at that unexpected explanation, the Conjunction Spell Master pressed the saw blade down onto Lennok’s wrist.
GRIND!!
The rotating saw blade made contact with Lennok’s wrist. With a fierce roar, the barrier formation began to warp.
In the fleeting moment a gap appeared in the barrier formation, the Conjunction Spell Master moved his scalpel with invisible speed.
A thin red line was drawn across Lennok’s wrist.
PUFF!
The scalpel’s blade dug into the blood vessel below the wrist. With a sharp pain, drops of blood began to fall.
Another machine located next to the operating table collected the dripping blood in a test tube.
“I cut the artery, but the bleeding is less than expected. This can happen when the blood vessels in the wrist are compressed.”
As if on cue, the Conjunction Spell Master, who had grabbed Lennok’s wrist, said.
“If the mana circuit within the muscle fibers becomes excessively hypertrophied, it can, conversely, compress the muscles and blood vessels, hindering the transport of blood and oxygen.”
“Hmph…!!”
As the Conjunction Spell Master squeezed his forearm with a strong grip to extract blood, the bleeding from the wrist intensified.
Ignoring Lennok’s grimace, the Conjunction Spell Master tilted his head.
“There’s a strong repulsion of blood and mana at the incision site. Mana addiction? It’s not an uncommon condition for high-level wizards. To be this severe even after symptoms have improved, you must have been truly out of your mind before.”
“……”
“Abnormally low blood pressure and mana concentration. Insufficient sodium and electrolyte levels in the bloodstream. Circulatory dysfunction due to frequent vasoconstriction and circuit contraction. Even a discrepancy between biological and spellcraft analysis. All of it… is endlessly fascinating.”
A cold gaze swept over Lennok’s face from behind the mask.
“You’re far more broken than I thought. Why are you still alive?”
At the Conjunction Spell Master’s calm words, Lennok felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
The Conjunction Spell Master’s ability to identify Lennok’s ailments and symptoms just by looking at the wound on his wrist.
Regardless of Lennok’s cooperation with the Conjunction Spell Master’s examination, the Conjunction Spell Master’s insight and judgment were far sharper than expected.
“If it’s difficult to determine the cause through external diagnosis, we’ll have to start internally.”
When Lennok did not reply, the Conjunction Spell Master stood up with a thoughtful expression.
Taking a transparent tube from a shelf nearby, the Conjunction Spell Master said.
“Tube insertion. Micro-camera activation. Screen transmission initiated.”
PLUNGE!!
He directly inserted the transparent tube into the cut surface of the wrist with the scalpel.
Lennok frowned at the sensation of his blood vessels being prodded, but the Conjunction Spell Master ignored him, focusing on the screen.
“Let’s see… The aggregation rate of mana particles within the body is abnormally strong. Due to that recoil, cellular cohesion is weak, and cells are dying from even minor impacts.”
The Conjunction Spell Master, who had been examining the screen with an indifferent gaze, suddenly spoke with a bewildered expression.
“Artery damage. Did the blood vessel tear just now because I moved the camera? Even if your entire body were made of paper, it wouldn’t be this weak.”
“……”
The Conjunction Spell Master, unable to hide his astonishment at Lennok’s physical condition, moved the camera to illuminate the inside of the blood vessel.
At that moment.
WOOOOSH…!!
A faint gleam began to flicker from the far side of the dark screen.
It was as faint as a single candle illuminating the darkness, and as precarious as if it could extinguish at any moment.
The light did not fully appear on the screen, but simply shone purely in its place.
OHHHH…!!!
“…Wait.”
The moment Lennok realized it was slowly rotating, drawing a specific shape.
CRASH!!
The camera screen went black, the screen shattered, and the connected surgical machine exploded on the spot.
The Conjunction Spell Master, who had silently watched the scene, turned to Lennok and muttered.
“A camera made of Arta Bio-alloy, completely disintegrated without leaving a trace… I’ve treated many high-level spellcasters, but this is a first.”
“……”
“A very powerful blessing and curse, or perhaps a will, holds you in place.”
The Conjunction Spell Master, looking down at Lennok on the operating table, muttered as if realizing something.
“A force that weakens you and a force that strengthens you coexist and circulate. Indeed. This is like…”
“……”
“The fate of humanity, shaped by a Geas…”
The Conjunction Spell Master, lost in thought, looked down at Lennok.
“This was why you asked me for a diagnosis, offering your physical information as payment. Certainly, at this level, merely collecting the examination records is valuable.”
“Then, did you think there was another reason I was watching you cut into my body?”
“You’d be interested if you knew my condition?”
At Lennok’s indifferent reply, the Conjunction Spell Master chuckled and shook his head.
“Unfortunate. In my current state, I cannot heal you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your body dying is not a symptom attributable to a single cause or disease. Rather, it’s a much more fundamental issue of your constitution or innate nature.”
The Conjunction Spell Master said, placing his scalpel in a sink next to the operating table.
“To resolve this, we’d have to rewrite the genetic information in your chromosomes, or directly adjust hormone secretion by interfering with your brain. Either way, it would be a major surgery spanning several months.”
“……”
“The problem is, even with this, I can’t be sure the symptoms would improve. The body of a high-level spellcaster is intimately assimilated with their soul… so unless the Mind Imprint itself is rewritten, their innate nature sometimes won’t change.”
The Conjunction Spell Master’s eyes, looking down at Lennok, gleamed cruelly.
“I’m not uninterested. I even consider it a gamble worth attempting. But…”
The Conjunction Spell Master stopped mid-sentence, then tightly shut his mouth.
A peculiar reaction, as if he were not permitted to speak further.
“An interesting answer.”
Lennok asked.
“Considering you said you swore the physician’s oath, yet after diagnosing me this far, you refuse the procedure.”
“…There are about three minutes left until the second surgery begins.”
While Lennok narrowed his eyes, observing him, the Conjunction Spell Master took off the gloves he was wearing.
“There’s simply not enough time to kill you, dissect you, and embalm you now. Shall we try one more test?”
“A test?”
“To confirm the ‘talent’ embedded in your blood.”
The Conjunction Spell Master drew Lennok’s blood, divided it, and flicked his fingers, causing several chimeras to erupt from the floor.
[Ugh… ah…]
[Ah… a-ggh…]
The flesh-made beings, without eyes, nose, or ears, only mouths, emitted weak moans.
Completely devoid of reason and self, they merely stood blankly, writhing repeatedly.
Lennok realized that, unlike the other chimeras, these were purely test beds to observe ‘reactions’.
“These chimeras are constructs made from wizards personally brought from various magic towers across the continent.”
“……”
“This friend here is Blaiver. This one is Enolas. That one over there is Valefor. Or was it Sinclair?”
“…You made wizards from the towers into test subjects for aptitude tests?”
“I won’t use numbers or data for standardization. The blood of high-level spellcasters has too many special cases; quantitative analysis is difficult.”
The Conjunction Spell Master said, walking between the masses of flesh.
“Therefore, in this case, qualitative analysis using my chimeras will be the standard. For example, like this…”
As he plunged a syringe containing Lennok’s blood into a chimera, the chimera’s mouth gaped open, and its body trembled violently.
[Aah… Aaahhhh…!!!!]
FLAME!!
The entire body of flesh burned, turning into ashes and vanishing on the spot.
The Conjunction Spell Master watched, then turned to Lennok.
“I modified superhumans with various inherent talents to become biological catalysts that react to their respective systems.”
“……”
“Before making you a specimen, I need to know what ‘talents’ I can collect. If the results are good, I might even keep you alive and turn you into a chimera.”
“You’re spouting things more horrific than death.”
“That’s not for you to decide. Shall we begin right away?”
PLUNGE!!
Lennok’s blood was injected sequentially into the chimeras standing in a row in the operating room.
Immediately, the chimeras began to writhe and scream one by one.
[Ah… Aah…!!!]
They burned to ashes, split as if minced by a knife, froze and shattered, or were crushed and pulverized.
“Flame, Cutting, Freezing, Impact systems. Truly befitting a great wizard.”
The Conjunction Spell Master said with an intrigued expression.
“Cases that react to more than four systems are extremely rare. This is enough to use as a catalyst in the Great Connection ritual.”
“That’s information I’d rather not know.”
“You don’t realize you’re blessed. It’s rare for an ordinary mana user to possess aptitude for even one system.”
The Conjunction Spell Master, arms crossed, watched the chimeras still twitching alive.
“Typically, two aptitudes are considered many for a Level 7 spellcaster, and three for a Level 8. In the first place, to transcend a hierarchy, one aptitude is often not enough -”
CRACK!
At that moment, the fifth chimera rapidly withered, decayed, and died on the spot.
“…Life system. Although relatively easy to learn, possessing the talent itself is extremely rare -”
CRACK!!
CRUNCH!!
CRACKLE!!
Before the Conjunction Spell Master could finish speaking, chimeras standing all around him died in various ways.
They were choked, scattered into smoke, disintegrated by black magic, and vanished as a wisp of wind.
These were the wizards from the magic towers who had fought and lost to the Conjunction Spell Master, unable to die, living as his playthings.
They died, leaving behind a testament of peace for Lennok.
“…I can’t believe it.”
Only then did the Conjunction Spell Master finally grasp reality, displaying a surprised expression for the first time.
“I had prepared over 20 chimeras. Are all those systems’ talents residing in your body?”
CRACKLE!!
The chimeras in the operating room died rapidly, leaving only one.
Among the chimeras made of flesh, this one was twisted and molded, covered in mold as if rotten.
It was a Specialized System.
The word used to collectively refer to the most anomalous and twisted systems among all categories.
As Lennok’s blood was injected into the chimera of that system, and the chimera convulsed, trembling violently.
“Kuaaaak!!”
The mass of flesh on the spot contracted as if shriveling, transforming into the appearance of an ordinary human.
The man gasped roughly, his trembling hands touching his own face.
“W-where is this…?!!”
There was no answer.
Because the Conjunction Spell Master, who had turned with a cold expression, and Lennok, who had risen from the operating table, clashed hands in the air.
CRASHHH!!
With an explosive shockwave erupting above the operating room, the man who had returned to human form was thrown to the ground.
“Whoaaah!!”
“I was mistaken.”
Amidst the trembling surgical equipment all around, the Conjunction Spell Master looked at Lennok with a cold gaze.
“This was not the time for leisurely conversation.”
The Conjunction Spell Master muttered, pressing down hard on Lennok’s hands, which were locked in the air.
“I should have stopped all adjustment operations in Gateway City from the beginning and focused solely on investigating you.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
Lennok laughed, barely deflecting the Conjunction Spell Master’s hand.
“Don’t you think it’s too late now?”