Ch.12: Another Self-Experiment (2)
--<3rd PoV>--
(6 hours later)
Evening had fallen. The sky above had long since darkened, but deep underground in the laboratory, time no longer held meaning for Ray.
He hung motionless, suspended only by the shackles binding his wrists to the reinforced wall. His knees had buckled hours ago, touching the cold floor, his body slack and barely holding form, supported solely by the restraints.
The bizarre concoction of herbs, special materials, and dangerous potions he had ingested had begun to show their toll. His skin was torn in places, appearing like shredded cloth, exposing the grotesque canvas beneath.
His condition was horrifying, bones jutted out from fractured limbs, twisted at someplace, hanging unnaturally. The muscles had lost structure, reduced to a jelly-like consistency that made movement impossible.
Eyes lost much of the luster, appearing dull. But what was visible on the outside was only a half of the truth—internally, his organs were in disarray. Disfigured and fused, they had mingled together like tangled wires in a broken machine, completely failing their functions.
It was the very image of a man who had willingly allowed his body to be destroyed for the sake of rebirth.
On the surface, he seemed long dead—flesh ruined, body limp. But Ray was alive. But he was fully conscious feeling each details of each process occurring in his body, making full use of the buffs obtained from the combined effects of the Green Lightning Drake's venom sack and the extreme pain nullification potion.
Despite his gruesome state, which bore closer resemblance to a decomposed corpse than a living being, something within him glowed—literally and metaphorically.
Like a bamboo shoot that, after five years of silent foundational growth, suddenly shoots skyward in days, Ray's internal development was beginning to surface in a spectacular manner.
Electric circuit-like lines started to materialize across his torn flesh, etching glowing patterns that sprawled across every inch of his skin. In his dull eyes, those lines converged at multiple points, forming something akin to complex neural nexuses.
Even the original 2.5-millimeter-wide mana pathways began sprouting delicate 0.5-millimeter sub-circuits, extending out like fractal branches and reaching to within a millimeter of every part of his body.
Internally, the change was even more extraordinary. Every nerve and blood vessel carried these circuit markings, as if transforming into the architecture of a living supercomputer.
Each of these circuit was connected through 361 nodes spread throughout the body, acting like independent edge processors for the reign they were assigned to.
Further these 361 nodes were all networked into seven central cores which were aligned together along with the spinal cord. Each of the seven cores were akin to minor CPUs, through even more robust and intricately wide mana circuits, creating a hyper-efficient, intelligent circuit system live visual that blanketed his body.
[Ding! Time remaining until fusion completes: 00:02:05]
The crisp chime echoed in the dim chamber. As the countdown sounded, Ray—despite the excruciating sensation of having his muscles turned to molten paste—managed to open his eyes.
'It's time.' He thought with lights returning in his eyes.
Despite the side effects of muscles melting. He slowly forced open his blood-crusted lips, blood dribbling between his teeth.
"...uper... eco..ry..."(Super Recovery)
He said, at the same time when the timer reached [02:00].
'Afterall, timing is everything.'
A halo of radiant light enveloped him.
The pale brilliance intensified, flooding the chamber in ghostly illumination. As it seeped into his skin, his ruined body began repairing itself at an impossible speed.
Within seconds, every injury, internal or external, faded. Flesh reknit, organs realigned, and vitality surged back into his form. His posture straightened as if he had never endured the torment that preceded.
Not even a little scratch mark of the previous injury remained.
Even the spark of clarity returned to his eyes, their glow reigniting.
Thanks to the dual effects of both physical and spiritual recovery, all the agony be it physical of mental he'd endured just minutes ago had already faded into the background—reduced to nothing more than a lingering memory.
Undoing the shackles with renewed strength, Ray stepped forward, clenching his fists.
Activating his mana, glowing vertical circuit patterns lit up across his body like the interface of a living machine—radiating alternating hues of blue, green, gold, and white, before finally stabilizing into a brilliant metallic-blue.
"Yes!" he muttered, voice thick with awe and pride, "this... this is what I call freedom."
He flared his mana, and a blazing hue erupted around him like spiritual flames.
"Hahaha! I've done it! Now dare you say I'm toasted?"
[Congratulations! You have fused with Martial Soul: Wishful Ring!]
[The degree of mutation depends on the Martial Soul's quality.]
[The quality of Martial Soul depends on the mana pathways formed during the Martial Soul's fusion.]
[Calculating the quality of mana pathways...]
[...]
[...10%..]
[...]
[...96%...]
[...]
[100%]
[Task executed!]
[Grade of Mana Circuits: EX Grade]
[Grade of Martial Spirit: God grade]
Ray scoffed, his lips curling into a smirk.
"Of course it's God Grade," he muttered with quiet pride. "After everything I went through, anything less would be an insult."
He raised his right hand into the air, palm open.
"Let's see how exceptional you really are," he said, and summoned his martial spirit.
At his call, black-lustered particles began swirling through the underground space, forming intricate spirals of movement before converging into his outstretched hand.
From the convergence, a sleek, futuristic black cube materialized—etched with glowing lines that mirrored the very patterns of his new mana circuits. It pulsed with silent power, emanating an aura of authority.
"Super Appraisal."
{STATUS}
Name: Ray Virelios (29 → 79%)
Race: ¼ Human, ¼ Kijin, ½ Dryad
Trait: Evolution, Artificial Circuits (new)
Martial Spirit: Lord of Domains (new)
Skill: SuperStack (3 Subskills) (26%)
Level: —
Aura: None
Magic: None
Affinity: —
Light: SS
Darkness: SS
Special Talent:
Magic Formation – B (100%)
_______________________________
Ray narrowed his eyes at the floating data in front of him.
"Hm, this doesn't seem too bad," he thought aloud, nodding in approval.
A rare smile tugged at the corners of his mouth—a smile born not of pride, but of hard-earned relief.
He had made real progress. If things continued like this, by the end of the year, he could qualify for self-evolution. Better yet, he could even attempt an evolution of his Special Talent immediately. It was a small victory, but one that felt monumental.
Eager to understand more, his attention drifted to the Martial Spirit section of the appraisal.
{Martial Spirit}
[Name: Lord of Domains]
[Type: Tool]
[Talent: Ultimate Adaptation · Ultimate Growth · Ultimate Spirit · Innate Domain · Polymorph]
[Description: Lord of Domains is a martial soul that should not exist, even in the world of Douluo Dalu. Born from the user's overwhelming will and the near-impossible choices made during awakening. Grants an innate domain and the ability to create a new domain based with increase of each spirit ring.]
Which followed by focus on the new trait.
{Trait}
[Name: Artificial Circuits]
[Grade: EX]
[Description: A seemingly impossible thing to exist in the world, created through miracle of choices to the point even luck and coincidence cannot explain it. A tailor-made divine-grade mana circuit system, designed exclusively for Aura cultivation. However, it is fundamentally incompatible with forming traditional mana circles, rendering it unusable by mages.]
"Wait!" Ray's cheerful expression dropped instantly, replaced by a serious frown.
"'Cannot form Mana Circles like mages'... What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he muttered, his voice tight with concern.
Without delay, he circulated mana through his body, tracing the pathways like a surgeon examining nerve lines. He paid careful attention to every connection, particularly the intricate web linking his internal organs.
After minutes of intense concentration, his brows finally relaxed—but there was no relief. Instead, a wry, self-deprecating smile curled at his lips.
"Hah... I really am an idiot," he said bitterly, crouching down as the realization hit him.
Though he had forged the most advanced and durable mana circuits imaginable—an accomplishment bordering on the miraculous—he had overlooked one vital element: the connection to the heart and several key metaphysical parameters related to dual-core integration.
If he had accounted for that... even if the grade of the circuits had dropped from EX to SSS or even SS+, he might have achieved what no one else had—true magic knight, someone who has both Dantian and mana circles.
"But now... that dream's just a pipe fantasy," he whispered, a tinge of regret slipping through his tone. Even with his near-indestructible artificial circuits, the opportunity had slipped through his fingers.
Not like he could do much anyway. In the trance-like state induced by the Green Lightning Python, all conscious control was stripped away. His body moved on instinct—driven by his subconscious, guided loosely by Super Intuition. The skill didn't speak in words or thoughts; instead, it responded in vague pulses—an internal push or pull.
A wave of warning would surge when he was about to do something reckless, while a surge of encouragement came only when something truly extraordinary was within reach. That was the only compass he had in moments like these.
"Whatever," he sighed, shaking off the frustration. "I'll just focus on becoming the strongest knight I can be. It's a shame, though. Without the mage pathways, I won't be able to craft those high-end potions I envisioned—or fully return to my passion of magic toolmaking."
"Still, I can manage the mid-to-high-tier ones. That should be enough to live comfortably… and keep spoiling myself a little," he muttered with a faint smirk, leaning closer to read through the dense data on screen.
But his words abruptly trailed off.
Footsteps echoed through the underground corridor—light, rhythmic, and accompanied by a soft, cheerful humming. A musical tune, innocent and familiar.
Ray immediately recognized it.
'That humming and those soft steps... it's definitely Lilia.'
But his relief quickly turned to dread—not because she was here, but because of how she would see him.
His clothes were still soaked in blood, now dried into dark stains that clung to his shirt and pants.
The floor was painted in crimson blotches, with crusted puddles of coagulated blood and shattered glass from cracked potion bottles. And the smell—thick, metallic, tinged with chemical rot—was suffocating. The sealed, underground lab had turned into a horror scene.
If he simply lay on the ground with his eyes closed, even he would think himself dead.
The heavy creak of metal echoed as the door slowly opened.
'Please don't have a heart attack,' Ray thought grimly.
But of course, the thing he feared happened anyway.
BAM!
CRASH!
'Here it is.' He thought closing his eyes.
(A/N: Bro don't)
Lilia immediately dropped whatever utensils she had brought along her for the evening tea, screaming at the sight before her.
"NO!!! RAY-SAMA!!!"
...
Ray had already changed into fresh clothes and was now sprawled on the bed. Beside him, seated stiffly on a chair, was Lilia—her eyes puffy and red.
But contrary to what one might expect, it wasn't the injured Ray being comforted by Lilia. No, it was the other way around. Lilia was the one being comforted.
It all began with her sobbing uncontrollably while Ray, lying back awkwardly, offered her a napkin and his most placating smile.
"Then what was the blood I saw all over the floor?" she cried, her voice cracking, fat tears brimming in her eyes.
"Uhh, th-that was just... an experiment!" Ray said quickly, waving his hands defensively. "I was messing around with monster materials, trying to get some new ideas for potions or maybe even a prototype for a magic tool."
"Don't lie to me!" Lilia shouted, tears rolling freely down her cheeks. "When I got there, your clothes were in tatters, and your whole body was soaked in blood! For a moment, I thought... I really thought you were actually—sob"
Her voice broke again as she pressed her hands over her mouth, cheeks puffed with emotion, tears now flowing in earnest.
Ray, despite the situation, couldn't help it.
'She looks too cute like this...'
SLAP. (Mentally, of course.)
'No! Begone bad thoughts!' he scolded himself. 'What the hell am I thinking at a time like this?! She's crying over me, and here I am being drawn in the gutter!'
"But I really am fine, you know," he said aloud, trying to inject some cheer. To prove his point, he stood on the bed and spun around with a theatrical twirl. "See? Healthy as a demonic ox!"
Before he could take another step, four of Lilia's six contracted spirits materialized with a shimmer of light. In one smooth, practiced motion, they pinned him to the bed like a well-trained medical squad, even tucking the blanket snugly over him.
"No, you are not fine," Lilia said firmly, her eyes narrowing as she remained seated with arms crossed. "And I'm not letting you out of my sight. Not for a single second."
Ray gave a helpless sigh. Clearly, escape through normal means was impossible.
Time for Plan B.
"But what about food?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You don't expect an injured patient to starve, do you?"
Lilia's lips curled into a smug little smile. Despite her red, teary eyes and flushed cheeks, the expression only made her look more adorable.
"Of course not," she replied sweetly. "That's why Flaree and Droplet are cooking something special. A tribute to the prodigy that is you."
"What is is a Rice porridge? I'm physically hurt, not bedridden with the flu," Ray said, the corners of his lips twitching at her tone.
"I might've made your favorite three-legged chicken-cockatrice dish," she added with a sigh, "but Miss Seraphina's out exploring the Adventurer's Guild. She told me she wouldn't be back until morning."
Ray blinked. 'Right, there is Sera too...'
He exhaled in quiet relief.
'Lilia is still gentle... but if Sera was here, I'm sure she'd have treated me like Bane treated Batman.'He shuddered at the mental image of being violently rehabilitated.
A few moments later, the fire spirit Flaree and the water spirit Droplet floated through the open door, each holding a tray. The faint aroma of roasted monster meat and herbs drifted into the room, causing Ray's stomach to rumble in betrayal.
Ray made a move to sit up—only to be stopped by the combined assault of Lilia and her spirits once again.
"If you don't even let me sit up, how am I supposed to eat?" he said with a deadpan expression, the corners of his mouth twitching.
The room fell into a brief, stunned silence.
Then, realization dawned. Lilia and the spirits all exchanged sheepish glances.
And so, Ray was eventually allowed to sit up—a little. Not much. Just enough so that Lilia could feed him herself.
Spoon after spoon, she sat close, her tears finally dried, a gentle smile on her face as she fed him dinner with quiet devotion.
Ray watched her, lips parting into a faint, reluctant smile of his own.
'Well,' he thought, chewing slowly, 'this isn't half bad.'
_____________________________
To Be Continued:
[Word Count: 2505]
A/N: Give me power stones.