Seated cross-legged on the wooden floor, his body was stiff as he methodically worked through the Baron of Corruption technique.
Drawing in spirit mana from the spiritual plane felt like coaxing threads of mist into his grasp. It wasn't easy, but his persistence was paying off. The collected spirit mana coursed through his mana circuit before being repeatedly distilled and refined by him to gain corrupted spirit mana. It was a long and tiresome process, akin to untangling a knot stuck on an endless web.
Adding to the challenge was expelling the remnant spirit mana, but with painstaking effort, he managed it too. Little by little, he eventually reached the last step. Slowly releasing the corrupted spirit mana within him, he aimed to mold it into a false core.
However, when it left his vessel, the mana construct became unstable. Nero groaned as he tried hard to control the erratic mana, but soon it burst into a harmless puff of glittering purple sparks.
Another failure.
Nero let out a deep sigh as he raked a hand through his raven black hair.
He had lost track of how many times he had wrestled with this, yet progress remained elusive. Purging natural mana from his surroundings was already difficult enough, but creating a false core outside his vessel seemed impossible.
Still, he refused to be disheartened because there was a sign that things would improve in the future. His ability to gather spirit mana from the spiritual plane had once again improved since the last attempt, albeit he was still not good at it.
However, his increased bloodline progression facilitated a smoother execution of the ascension technique, which was what mattered most.
This meant that his charm demon bloodline progression had enhanced his affinity for spirit mana, enabling him to access and gather it from the spirit realm using the method outlined in the Baron of Corruption technique. Thus, it was a sign that he was on the right track, and as long as he continued his bloodline progression, he would eventually master these abilities.
Content with his progress, Nero stretched, loosening the muscle tension from hours of meditation. Just as he stood, Rafaella's voice echoed up the stairs.
"Lunch is ready!"
Nero glanced at the clock, surprised to see it was already afternoon. With a resigned sigh, he descended the stairs.
Rafaella was setting the table in the dining room. Ivan and Irene sat at the table quietly, their faces lit with anticipation as they glanced at the steaming dishes laid before them.
The dining room was warm and filled with the aroma of food. Rafaella moved around the table, setting plates before the steaming dishes. Ivan and Irene sat eagerly at their seats, their faces lit with anticipation as they took in the spread.
"Take a seat," Rafaella said, gesturing to an empty chair.
Without a word, Nero slid into the seat, keeping his gaze on the table. Alvin was absent, likely patrolling the village. Not that he had any desire to enquire. Rafaella's earlier scolding was still fresh in his mind and he preferred to keep his distance.
The meal began in silence, broken only by the clink of utensils. Ivan and Irene occasionally glanced his way, their curiosity clear.
Nero ate mechanically, his thoughts wandering elsewhere. The failures in forming a false core, how to train based on today's spar, and how to advance his bloodline. He was jumping between these swirls of thoughts back and forth, trying to figure out how to tackle them for the best results.
Suddenly, a hand waved in front of his face, breaking his trance.
"Hey," Rafaella said, her tone lighter than he expected. "Did you just space out while eating?"
Nero blinked, his brow furrowing slightly as he turned to her. He arched an eyebrow, silently questioning why she disturbed him.
Rafaella hesitated for a moment before continuing, her voice gentler now. "The kids wanted to talk to you." She offered a faint smile, her earlier sharpness replaced with something closer to warmth. "I told them you'd be like a big brother while you're staying here. Someone to keep them company, and look out for them."
Nero's expression darkened, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. Does she think I am some monkey she brought here to work and entertain them whenever I am told? He realized she was trying to soften what had happened before. But he felt her attempt at reconciliation was flimsy. He bit back a retort and kept his thoughts to himself, choosing silence over confrontation.
Sensing he was hung up on earlier words, Rafaella sighed and pressed on. "They've been curious about you. They wanted to know if you're an awakened like their father."
Nero considered the question for a moment. "Not yet," he said finally. "But I've opened all my mana circuits. I'll attempt awakening when I am close to promoting my path."
Ivan's eyes widened, lighting up with excitement. "Really? Does that mean you can turn into a statue like Dad someday?"
Nero shook his head faintly. His tone measured. "No. I follow a different path, one that will have to use different Ascension techniques. So I won't have abilities like his."
"What kind of path?" Ivan asked, leaning forward eagerly.
"I'm an Alchemist."
"Can you do alchemist stuff?" the boy asked, his enthusiasm undimmed.
"Yes, I can perform transmutation magic," Nero explained, not elaborating further.
Irene, who had been quiet and more reserved, finally spoke up. "You'll be here for a year, right? Will you show us?"
Nero glanced at her and gave a faint nod. "Maybe."
Rafaella took the opportunity to steer the conversation. "It'll be good for you to spend time with them, Nero. Ivan, Irene, you should start calling him Big Brother. Get along well, okay, because we will all be together for the year."
Nero frowned slightly but kept his thoughts to himself. Rafaella's tone was light, almost gentle as she spoke to the children, but he felt her words carried a deliberate undertone for him.
Ivan's eagerness bubbled over. "Will you teach us transmutation magic, big brother?"
"Big brother has a lot on his plate already," Rafaella interjected smoothly before Nero could respond. "He has to prepare for his academy exams, take healing lessons with me, and train in combat with your dad. Plus, he's helping me and Aunt Lissy in the diary. Let's not overwhelm him."
"But…" Ivan began, pouting slightly.
"Besides," Rafaella added, cutting him off gently, "you'd need to open your mana circuits before you could learn anything. And that's a long way off."
The children deflated slightly but nodded in reluctant understanding.
Nero, meanwhile, kept his focus on his plate, wondering why he was being dragged into their lives so quickly.
After lunch, Rafaella cleared the table while Ivan and Irene rushed off somewhere. Nero had retreated to the corner of the room, his posture stiff as he waited for further instruction. The earlier conversation still lingered in his mind, and though he didn't show it, the children's enthusiasm had chipped away at some of his irritation.
Rafaella turned to Nero after drying her hands on a towel. "Ready for your healing lesson?"
Nero gave a curt nod and followed her outside the house toward the clinic, nestled within the temple grounds.
Rafaella walked ahead, her simple white blouse and matching brown skirt revealing a rusty charm. The rhythmic swish of her skirt, as it swayed with each step she took, might have tempted any man to gawk at her, like a fool. But Nero kept his gaze firmly forward, his expression set in stone.
He was not the same guy who stepped in here. Now he was a man who has forged his resolve like pure steel. How could he, a man burdened with ambitions and tempered by knowledge of two worlds, allow himself to falter for the temptation of some backwater priestess? Even as he felt the curve of her voluptuous ass daring him to glance at them, Nero clenched his jaw and kept his gaze locked ahead.
He had fortified himself against such distractions. His dick might have hardened, but his will remained unshaken. He followed her into the clinic like a warrior facing his greatest foe.
The clinic was cold and sterile, and its atmosphere was an abrupt change from the earthy warmth of the temple grounds. The air carried the crisp aroma of herbs and antiseptic. Shelves lined the walls, heavy with glass jars of dried plants and vials of tinctures, their labels marked in bold writing.
A sturdy wooden desk served as the workspace, its surface orderly and gleaming with polished rows of test tubes, flasks, beakers, funnel, burners, and the usual apparatus. There was a sink to clean off everything and a wooden bed stood at the other end of the room, its features hidden behind pristine white curtains.
"Sanitize yourself and take a seat," Rafaella said, warm but firm, gesturing to a chair near the desk.
Nero complied without a word.
"Granny Orias mentioned that you've already covered the basics of potion brewing while you're proficient in healing vessels and just need practice," Rafaella began as they settled into their seats. "We'll start with a quick assessment of your knowledge regarding healing. You know, all the procedural protocols, equipment, and anatomy. Don't stress. It's perfectly fine if you don't know something. We can revise everything regardless."
Nero nodded silently.
"All right, let's begin. What are the seven covenants of healing?"
Nero's voice was steady as he recited, "The Covenant of Preservation, the Covenant of Balance, the Covenant of Consent, the Covenant of Purity, the Covenant of Accountability, the Covenant of Prioritization, and the Covenant of Continuity."
"What is the Covenant of Preservation?"
"The Covenant of Preservation dictates that a healer must always put the patient's survival above all else. It mandates that a healer's priority when deciding on a course of treatment is preserving the patient's life, whether delaying potentially dangerous procedures or employing methods that could cause temporary harm. Both are justified if they ultimately ensure the patient's life is preserved."
Rafaella gave a faint smile, before questioning again. "Good. And why is the Covenant of Balance critical in healing?"
"To maintain harmony between the three foundations," Nero recited flawlessly as if he etched the words in his mind. "Overloading a patient with mana or life force can destabilize their system, leading to complications like mana poisoning, mental overload, spirit destabilization, overstimulation of pathogens, or even cancerous mutations. A healer must ensure the body's natural equilibrium is preserved, working with it rather than overwhelming it."
Leaning against the desk, Rafaella folded her arms. "And what about the Covenant of Prioritization?"
Nero's gaze flicked momentarily before he spoke. "The healer must triage effectively, focusing on those who have the greatest chance of survival or whose survival is critical to the group."
"Correct. You've studied well." Rafaella nodded approvingly, gesturing toward the table. "Now, do you recognize what this is?"
Nero turned his gaze to the object she had pointed out on the table. It was a child-sized mannequin.
He studied it for a moment before slowly shaking his head.
"You don't know?" Rafaella arched an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "But Granny Orias said you've performed intermediate surgeries. What did you practice on?"
"Mostly animals," Nero answered flatly. "But once, I worked on the corpse of a criminal. Granny used it to teach me human anatomy thoroughly."
Rafaella's expression tightened. "Animals? A corpse!? Don't you know the protocol? The deceased are supposed to be cremated promptly to prevent the formation of a resentful ghost."
"Yes, I know," Nero said calmly. "We delayed only for a day and performed purification afterward. Alvin was present the entire time. Didn't he inform you?"
She shook her head, frowning. "No, he didn't. Still, those practices are... archaic. Was Granny Orias sticking to old-school traditions? Nobody does that anymore. Flesh puppets like this one are standard for training beginners." She continued, pointing at the mannequin. "This model replicates human anatomy down to the smallest detail."
Nero studied the mannequin again as Rafaella continued, "Go ahead and cast an appraisal spell on it. Familiarize yourself with how it works."
"I can't," Nero admitted after a moment's hesitation. "My mana manipulation is terrible."
Rafaella blinked in surprise. "Oh. My bad. When you said you'd opened all your mana circuits, I assumed... Never mind. Don't worry about it. Plenty of renowned medics were in the same situation. It isn't something you should worry about at all. Are you planning to focus on potion-assisted healing, then?"
"No," Nero said. "I struggle with natural mana, but I can perform Life magic just fine."
Rafaella tilted her head. "What do you mean? If you have trouble with natural mana, it should affect all forms of magic. Wait, you mentioned earlier that you can perform transmutation magic too. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Nero confirmed. "I suspect it's because I have a high affinity for Life and transmutation. It offsets my lack of control over mana."
Rafaella looked unconvinced. "That's... unusual. People's ability to manipulate mana is linked to their mental capacity to process information. While affinities can help with repetitive practice, it will make it easier to get better at using mana only for that specific thing you practiced for. That's why you see Ascender, who primarily focuses on the vessel, regardless of how they gained their abilities, whether by engraving rune scripts or continuous practice, has only a variation of the same abilities instead of having a wide range of abilities at different levels. It is their mental capacity that limits them from performing complex tasks with mana, which will persist unless they find a way to enhance their mental processing."
Rafaella took a breath before continuing again.
"So if you have a simple time handling Life or transmutation magic, you should have it easy with natural mana, unless you can't for an unknown reason. Or it means your affinity for Life and alchemy is so high that it has helped you practice until you become good with most of its beginner spells. Here, why don't you perform both on this flesh puppet? Let me see what is going on."
The third option was him lying altogether, but Rafaella didn't say that. She decided to let his actions reveal the truth.
Nero approached the mannequin as Rafaella donned a pair of goggles.
"Do you recognize these?" she asked.
"It should be a vital gauge," Nero replied. "When infused with mana, they allow the user to monitor a patient's life force and mana circuits. I've only seen them in diagrams, though, so I might be wrong."
"You're correct," Rafaella said, adjusting the goggles. "This is crucial for medics. The advanced versions can even perceive the patient's spirit, but unfortunately, this is all I can afford. What did Granny Orias use to monitor patients?"
"Hands-on observation," Nero answered.
Rafaella frowned disapprovingly. She then explained as she inspected him with the vitals gauge. "The patient might unknowingly carry a contagion with them. Gear like this keeps us safe without getting contaminated and it is always faster to monitor patients in batches with a gear than individually in emergencies."
"She said it is because healers these days are weak. Back in her day, every healer trained to enhance their vessels, making them strong enough to handle the work."
Rafaella scoffed. "Weak? Does she think we're sitting idle? Don't look at how laid back I have things here in Crafts Woods. Try working in a city hospital or temple. You will thank 'Her' benevolence if you even get barely time to sit down between the rounds in the city. Once you serve in the temple or a hospital in a populated area for the probation period, you will also understand a medic's plight. And don't get me started on the hassles for renewing and getting the license…"
She trailed off, her brows furrowing as she adjusted the gauge and focused on him more. "Hmm. That's strange."
"Is something wrong?" Nero asked, sensing her confusion.
"Cast your spells on the puppet," Rafaella instructed, her voice laced with puzzlement.
Nero stepped forward, placing a hand on the puppet's head. It was eerily lifelike with a faint thrum of heart and the rhythmic rise and fall of its chest.
Taking a steadying breath, he gathered his mana and infused it through the flesh puppet. As his mana probed through the inside of the flesh puppet, he realized how sophisticated the flesh construct was in mimicking the complexity of a living vessel. Without a brain, it mimicked the rhythmic cadence of a heartbeat, the soft expansion and contraction of breathing by lungs, blood circulation in veins, mana circuits, and everything that made a living vessel. The mana circuits perfectly mirrored one in human vessel, down to the faint hum of embedded mana. The flesh puppet performed all bodily functions like a machine, following preset instructions rather than managing them with a mind of its own.
Focusing on his mana, he cast Split on it.
The air around the puppet shimmered faintly as the spell took hold.
He felt the familiar tug on his mana as the spell probed the puppet's simulated anatomy before separating the layers of its artificial skin, as though peeling apart paper.
As veins within revealed themselves, the split spell separated them at different sections in patches smoothly. Blood oozed from the exposed sections, but Nero quickly followed with a 'Bind' spell on top of it, seamlessly knitting the flesh back together.
The veins rejoined together as if they were never separated. He repeated the process by casting split on bones and muscles in a different section before rejoining them with bind flawlessly.
When he finally finished playing around with the flesh puppet, apart from being bloodied, there was not a single sign outside of the torment he put it through. But Nero, with his mana probing inside it, knew he had severely depleted its life force in the procedure.
Feeling it was irresponsible to leave it like that, he channeled it with his life force.
Green, runic circles shimmered around his hand. He felt his life force squeezed into a single focal point before passing towards the flesh puppet from his hand.
The puppet responded immediately. Its skin regained a healthy luster and its lifelike functions started stabilizing. Nero ensured the spell worked seamlessly, having his life force nourish the puppet's artificial flesh without damaging the integrity of its form or creating cancerous mutations in it.
When he finished, he unknowingly let out a sigh and stepped back. It was hard to do things without a core to produce his mana for him. Gathering natural mana, refining them into his, then casting spells. Each step was severely taxing on him.
Still, the flesh puppet was all that he had in his mind.
It truly shocked him.
With each observation, his awe for its creator grew. It was a true masterpiece, mimicking a living vessel with unnerving precision. It reacted exactly how a normal human vessel would behave to his spells, down to the tiniest detail. It was a full display of its creator's understanding of the human vessel.
He turned to Rafaella to learn more about the creator of the flesh puppet, but the woman, with her goggles still on, was staring at him in wide-eyed disbelief.
"What are you?" she blurted her voice a mix of bewilderment and amusement.
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