Chapter 271

Volume 2 Ch 14 : Scales

“It ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍cannot go out of control!” A resolute light flashed through Iruya’s violet eyes. Gritting her teeth, she forcibly suppressed the surging turmoil in her blood and the sluggishness in her Mana flow.

Her ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍hand seals changed again, even faster than before, so fast they were almost two masses of silver-white afterimages.

A ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍brighter radiance, almost tangible, erupted from her body. It was not an attack. Instead, it transformed into countless delicate yet incomparably resilient silver threads, like the deftest weaver, or the sternest prison, wrapping around, binding, and compressing those two energy cores on the verge of running wild.

“Condense! ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Guide!”

Iruya ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gave a sharp cry. Her voice trembled, but it was unwavering.

Under ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the full force of her control, sparing nothing, those two torrents of energy capable of destroying everything were forcibly compressed and condensed into two streams no thicker than fingers, yet refined to the utmost, dazzling with blinding light. One was crimson like molten lava, the other emerald like the very essence of life.

Along the guiding paths prearranged in the Magic Circle and reinforced several times over, they surged toward Ryan, who sat cross-legged at the center of the formation, like two tamed dragons, carrying a low, rumbling roar.

The second step had begun: guiding the energy into the body.

The moment those two streams of purified energy, compressed to their absolute limit, touched his skin and tried to bore into him, Ryan’s entire body shuddered violently, and a muffled groan escaped him.

Pain.

Pain beyond imagination.

It was unlike the sharp agony of being cut by a blade. This was a dull, tearing torment that seemed to force every single cell in his body to swell open, be crushed, and then reassembled from the inside out.

His body, now utterly drained of Mana, with every channel inside him left dry and empty, was like a stretch of land cracked by endless drought, stripped of all defense, and suddenly struck by two savage floods that were incomparably violent, yet also brimmed with boundless vitality.

Mana itself carried powerful attributes and imprints. Even after purification, the energy of the Philosopher’s Stone was, to Ryan’s body, which had not yet fully adapted to something that belonged to another master, a complete outsider.

A fierce rejection response erupted at once.

Ryan felt his Mana channels, blood vessels, muscles, and bones being brutally washed through, widened, even torn apart by those two energies.

Bulges rose beneath his skin, grotesque and writhing, as though living things were rampaging through his body.

He clenched his teeth so hard that the veins on his forehead and neck stood out violently. A thread of blood spilled uncontrollably from the corner of his mouth, yet he refused to cry out.

He gathered every scrap of his will and concentrated it on the guiding routes recorded in Serandil’s knowledge, trying to use his own spirit as the last remaining helmsman to drive these two berserk energy dragons through his body and toward the two Gospel core arrays that lay silent beneath his shoulder blades like dried-up abyssal pools.

The energy rampaged through him, while the pain came in wave after wave like an endless tide. Just as Ryan felt his consciousness beginning to drown beneath the agony, and the guiding process was becoming nearly impossible—

A sudden mutation occurred.

His tightly shut eyes flew open.

What burned in the depths of his pupils was no longer the usual gray-blue, but two brilliant clusters of molten gold-red flame.

The light was so fierce that it seemed to shine even through his eyelids, and in the dim bathroom it was like two small golden lamps suddenly lit.

An indescribable aura, ancient, vast, endless in its tyranny and savagery, erupted from Ryan like the awakening of some primordial beast and spread outward.

“What?!” Iruya, already at the end of her strength as she maintained the energy guidance with all her power, was struck first. Her slender body jolted violently again, and another mouthful of blood spilled from her lips, staining the front of her clothes red.

She stared in horror at the gold-red flames in Ryan’s eyes. Her Mana circulation had never felt so sluggish, and an indescribable pressure descended from a higher order of life itself, suffocating her. Even the elven blood within her trembled and gave a faint, despairing cry.

What shocked her even more was that the two streams of energy, which had been violent but were still moving along their intended paths under her strained control, suddenly faltered the moment they sensed the gold-red light in Ryan’s eyes.

It was as though they had encountered a natural enemy.

They were afraid.

Then, as if cowed and driven by some invisible force, they surged even more frantically, yet also more obediently, toward the Gospel cores inside Ryan’s body.

No—not merely toward them.

The two silent, jammed Gospel arrays beneath Ryan’s shoulder blades had reactivated on their own the instant they sensed the gold-red light in his eyes.

They were no longer dried-up abyssal pools waiting passively for energy.

They had become two violently spinning dark vortices, exuding a terrifying pull.

ROAR—!!

Faintly, it seemed as though two low, inhuman roars full of greed and brutality issued from those two vortices inside Ryan’s body.

The two energy streams, which Iruya had exhausted herself to compress and guide, were swallowed with almost no resistance at all. Like rivers rushing into the sea, they were devoured with whale-like hunger by the vortices formed by the awakened Gospel arrays.

Ryan’s own spirit barely needed to guide them anymore, nor did Iruya need to maintain such delicate external control.

The vast, refined Mana and spiritual force poured into those two engines like a breached flood.

Ryan’s body visibly expanded and contracted. Across the surface of his skin, complicated, mysterious golden patterns filled with an ancient, savage aura emerged and spread as if they were alive.

These patterns were not magical runes. They were more like totems branded into the very depths of bloodline, twisting and crossing one another, vaguely forming shapes like warped branches, or perhaps some strange kind of scales, and exuding a faint pressure of the same origin as the gold-red light in his eyes.

“Urgh—ahhh—!”

At last Ryan could not hold back a low roar. This time, it was not purely from pain, but also from the swelling sense of power inside him that was rising so fast it seemed about to burst him apart.

He could feel the two Gospel arrays operating with an efficiency they had never displayed before, frantically converting and absorbing the energy of the Philosopher’s Stone, feeding it back into his body, scouring him, remaking him.

Every cell in him cried out in jubilation, and in agony. His strength was rising at a terrifying pace, while the pain reached an entirely new peak.

Then, at the instant the energy infusion reached a certain critical point—

At the very center of Ryan’s chest, beneath the skin, a point of pitch-black light flared into being.

The light was deep and dark, as though it could swallow all illumination.

Then, a strange scale slowly emerged from beneath his flesh and embedded itself into the skin of his chest. It was about the size of a thumb’s nail, hexagonal in shape, and black as the finest jet jade.

Along the edges of the scale, faint and intricate gold-red patterns of the same hue as the light in Ryan’s eyes flowed slowly, giving off an eerie aura that was cold, hard, and yet filled with endless hunger to devour.