Ogre Tyrant

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 82 - Within and Without - Part Two

Oba Kei had not been exaggerating when he had claimed there would be no shortage of volunteers. If anything, the warnings I had forced Oba Kei to provide the potential candidates had only seemed to increase their resolve and commitment.

Hundreds of men and women, of all ages, had put their names forward for the experimental procedures. Their otherwise normal appearance was marked by symptoms of fatigue and exhaustion. A physical symptom of their damaged or destroyed Cultivation foundation.

The palace within the Oba’s City of the Rising Phoenix served as the registration site while an isolated territory would serve as a quarantined location for performing the experiments.

I had taken the territory from one of the Cultivator landmasses to ensure that it had ambient energy. The ambient energy wasn’t a critical component of the experiments, but I thought it would make observing the effects easier. Especially if the restorations produced similar effects to Zhu Min and Zhu Wen’s Daemonic Veins.

“So...I just need to try Healing a few of these Humans from the other world?” Orphiel asked uncertainly.

“That is all, for now,” I confirmed, motioning him forward and toward the Oba clan elder.

The elder looked like she was in her eighties or late seventies and had lived a hard life. Her back was bowed and she needed the assistance of her walking cane to stop herself from falling from the chair. Oba Namiko had fought her way to the front of the line to serve as the first volunteer, shamelessly leveraging her seniority as justification.

Or rather, that was how I had interpreted it until Oba Kei had provided an insider's insight. Far from being selfish, the clan elders were adamant that they would be the ones to pave the path forward with their blood.

They had already lost their Cultivation and were too old to work the fields and too exhausted to do anything besides wait for death. If mistakes were to be made, they would be the ones to make the sacrifice so the clan’s future generations would prosper.

Orphiel lazily drifted forward on wings of amber light. Lifting Namiko’s chin with one finger, he stared deep into her sunken cloudy eyes. Orphiel’s eyes began to glow and his wings flashed with blinding light.

When the light faded, Namiko appeared twenty to thirty years younger. Her deepest wrinkles had receded, her back had straightened, and the swelling from her knuckles had disappeared. However, the biggest difference was Namiko's eyes. Formerly clouded by cataracts, her eyes shone with an inner light that was fading with each passing moment.

Orphiel had looked better. The years Namiko had lost, Orphiel had found, with interest. However, his youth was returning at a truly miraculous pace. In under a minute, Orphiel had returned to his former self and didn’t look pleased.

“That was particularly unpleasant...” Orphiel commented grimly while gingerly flexing his fingers.

“It did not produce the desired result either,” Sebet sighed and shrugged with exaggerated disappointment.

Taking a few moments to extend my senses, I confirmed Sebet’s assessment and allowed Orphiel to take his leave.

“The Ability probably wasn’t able to identify the damage,” I reasoned aloud, encouraging other potential explanations for what had happened.

“Quite possibly,” Sebet agreed.

Gric remained silent.

“Should I go next?” Sebet asked with a twinkle in her eyes. “Because I will need references so I can try for the best possible outcomes.”

“References?” I asked dubiously.

Sebet feigned innocence. “Just as an artist requires a model so they might learn bodily proportions, I would act with greater surety if I had a couple of prime specimens to serve as references,” she explained reasonably.

Gric scowled. “It is not required,” he countered with absolute confidence. “You have ‘studied’ young Cultivators at great length already.”

Sebet didn’t falter for even a moment. “A live reference on hand-”

“Is not required,” Gric interrupted in an open challenge.

“I am simply taking steps to maximise the chances of a favourable outcome,” Sebet countered, making a show of taking offence at the implications. “Although...I could take another approach...” She commented slyly. “However, I would need permission...” Sebet made a show of looking to me to break the stalemate.

“What does this alternative approach entail?” I asked warily. “Exactly. If I think you are leaving anything out, I will not even consider giving permission.”

“Magnanimous as always, my Tyrant!” Sebet cried approvingly. “As per our Contract-” A flash of flames in her right hand materialised a copy of our Contract. “-article five, subsection three, clause twelve, paragraph two: If an action would, under reasonable scrutiny, be determined to remove bodily autonomy from an ally, as defined in article nine, permission must be acquired from a designated witness, also defined under article nine, before the attempt can be made. Breach of Contract will result in a tier seven penalty, as defined in article ten.” Sebet made a show of taking a deep breath and smiled. “I intend to Possess her, my Tyrant.”

My mood soured almost immediately.

“If I may explain myself?” Sebet urged earnestly. “It is far easier to make changes with the Sculpt Flesh Spell when I can feel the changes being made.”

“That is true, my Tyrant,” Gric agreed with visible reluctance and an expression of distaste. “I have practised extensively, so I am equally proficient. However, I am not surprised others have not dedicated the time required to match this achievement.”

Sebet’s right eyebrow twitched in irritation but otherwise made no signs of intending to argue to the contrary.

“You have my permission to use Possession just this once,” I conceded. Presuming Sebet behaved herself, and the subject was willing, there was a big difference between what had happened to me and what was functionally a medical procedure.

“Thank you for your vote of confidence, my Tyrant!” Sebet declared emphatically, positively beaming with pride. She rounded on the two Oba clan members who had remained silent throughout, zeroing in on Namiko. “Do I have permission to temporarily enter your body and suppress your consciousness for the purpose of this procedure?” Sebet asked eagerly, her eyes betraying an intense urgency.

Kei and Namiko shared a silent glance.

“I am willing,” Namiko declared with absolute confidence, “You have my permission. My life for...the...Oba...”

Before the Oba elder could finish her statement of loyalty, Sebet’s body turned to red-tinted smoke and rushed into Oba Namiko’s body through her nose and mouth.

“This is?...” Oba Namiko raised her hands and stared at them with a look of clinical curiosity. “Not as strange as I had expected...” She sounded disappointed.

“You are supposed to be performing a Spell,” Gric commented dryly. “Not indulging your myriad of self-indulgent deviances.”

Oba Namiko rolled her eyes in an altogether undignified manner. “Please, you probably think your little Elf’s choking fetish is far out there,” she muttered incredulously. “Well, it isn’t. After all she’s been through, engaging in choke-play with you is practically therapy.”

Gric glowered back at her, causing Namiko to flinch. He would make certain Sebet would pay for that later. However, Gric was not so petty that he would sabotage or disrupt official business to sate his ego.

Sebet’s mana began radiating through Namiko’s body. After about five minutes, the mana receded. “I have repaired what damage I could find,” she announced and then took several deep breaths, drawing in the ambient energy. “Is this functional?” Namiko turned to Kei for an objective opinion.

“The damage has been repaired,” Gric observed neutrally before Kei could even place his fingers against Namiko’s wrist.

“A miracle!...” Kei breathed hoarsely a few moments later. “The damaged veins are gone! These veins are those of a once-in-a-generation prodigy!”

Reviewing Oba Namiko’s Status information, I could see why Kei was so excited. Namiko had gained the Fiendish Queen’s Veins and Fiendish Queen’s Dantian Inheritances. Although they both carried an asterisk that attached the Lust subclassification. Sebet was technically a Succubus Queen, so it wasn’t all that surprising.

Leveraging my authority to gain insight into the Inheritances, I discovered both the veins and Dantian held the same benefits. The veins and Dantian had a receptive quality that drastically increased the efficiency of the Cultivator gaining their first Affinity and replenishing Chi of that Affinity. Both inheritances also multiplied the effects of ‘Dual Cultivation’.

It wasn’t the first time I had encountered the term and in the context of Sebet’s intervention, it made sense.

Explaining the existence and benefits aloud, for Kei and the clan’s benefit, I studied his face expecting to find warning signs of outrage or profound embarrassment. I had known enough old people back on Earth that I really should have known better.

“Multiplies the effects of Dual Cultivation?!” Kei exclaimed with surprise. “That’s wondrous news! With this, the future of the clan is secured!”

Given the zealous fervour that Cultivators approached their Cultivation, taking advantage of a multiplying effect was a given. The fact that it involved consensual sex with an equally driven partner was just a bonus. A bonus in the eyes of the older generation, was the children such couplings would inevitably produce, securing the future of the clan.

I wasn’t aware of the Kama Sutra’s providence back on Earth, but the Cultivators had several copies of its equivalent. Because of course, they did. Anything relating to Cultivation and the progression of Cultivation was meticulously recorded and jealously safeguarded for future generations.

Sebet ejected herself from Namiko’s body and assumed her physical form. “Am I to assume we have a winner?” She asked, grinning from ear to ear.

I had been expecting far more trial and error. However, the absence of detrimental side effects left the decision up to the members of the Oba clan themselves. “It’s their decision,” I stated neutrally.

Unlike the Daemonic King’s Veins, the Fiendish equivalent hadn’t unlocked a unique Class. So far as I could tell, they hadn’t unlocked any Classes at all.

“The Fallen Angels may produce different results if given the means to use the Sculpt Flesh Spell,” Gric interjected, undercutting Sebet’s victory lap. “Perhaps offering such an opportunity to the members of the Farmers Alliance would strike a fitting compromise for scientific inquiry, given the Oba clan appears more than satisfied with this remedy.” The way he had stared at Sebet throughout, it was obvious that Gric was driven by spite as he was by duty. However, he wasn’t wrong.

“We will need to convene a special council to discuss this,” Oba Kei said.

Oba Namiko nodded in agreement. “However, I do not doubt we will vote in favour of this miraculous intervention!”

Oba Kei nodded decisively in agreement. “Thank you, Tyrant! The Oba clan owes you a debt we cannot ever hope to repay!”

Kei and Namiko bowed respectfully, first to me and then to Sebet.

Using my authority, I sent them back to their city.

“Do you think you could similarly alter Zhu Min’s Dantian?” I asked Gric.

“Almost certainly,” Gric replied confidently. “To guarantee success, the Dantian would need to be damaged. However, I am confident in my ability to make the changes without resorting to such methods.”

Teleporting Zhu Wen and Zhu Min to our location, I gave them a brief explanation of what we were doing and the success we had thus far.

“You wish to create more Daemonic Cultivators?” Zhu Wen asked, obviously uncertain of my intentions.

“Possibly...” I admitted and then decided to come clean with a more complete explanation. “We are at war. Our enemy can use teleportation to both rapidly deploy and retreat their forces. Before I can initiate a counterattack into their lands, I need to make sure those left behind can defend themselves and one another in the event of an emergency.”

Zhu Wen looked confused. “Apologies, my Tyrant. I don’t understand...”

“Uncle, there is something you do not know...” Zhu Min interjected before I had the chance to explain. “The Monarch’s Realm is not yet severed from the world beyond. The enemy must originate from that world.” She looked to me for confirmation and I nodded to show she was right.

“Oh...” Zhu Wen’s eyes widened in shock and he remained silent for several long moments. “And others have participated in these experiments?” Zhu Wen asked tentatively.

“A successful experiment was completed before your arrival,” Sebet replied, taking the initiative to inject herself into the conversation.

“I wanted to ask whether either of you would consider allowing Gric to alter your Dantian, theoretically applying the same benefit already provided through your altered veins,” I explained, cutting straight to the point.

“It would make it even easier to absorb unprotected energy?” Zhu Min asked, surprised that such a feat would even be possible.

“Provided it works and has the same effect,” I cautioned. “It might also make it more difficult to control.”

Zhu Min slowly nodded and became contemplative while Zhu Wen worried at the sleeves of his robes.

Seemingly convinced of his grandniece’s inevitable decision, Zhu Wen stepped forward. “I would volunteer myself,” he proposed boldly. “It is the duty of the older generation to lead the way, after all,” Zhu Wen gave a small reassuring smile to Zhu Min.

Despite appearing as if she was going to argue, Zhu Min released a quiet sigh and returned her granduncle’s smile as a show of support and appreciation.

Gric rolled his eyes and I could tell he was fighting hard not to make a cutting remark in retaliation for the perceived insult implied by their lack of faith in his abilities.

A fact that Sebet hadn’t failed to notice and found quite entertaining.

Resting his large clawed hand on Zhu Wen’s scalp, Gric gathered his MP and injected it into the elderly man’s body.

Zhu Wen released a moan of discomfort and bowed his knees. However, before he could so much as utter a single word, Gric removed his hand and stepped away.

“It’s done,” Gric declared with a conservative yet smug smile on his lips. “A testament of what is possible when a task is undertaken by a professional.”

Sebet smiled wryly back at him but said nothing.

“Do you feel any different?” I asked Zhu Wen. “The change to your Dantian has provided the expected Inheritance, you look like something is wrong.”

“Apologies, Patriarch...” Zhu Wen apologised awkwardly with no small measure of embarrassment. “I am fine, I just...I have an urgent need to relieve myself...”

“Ah...” I nodded awkwardly in understanding and returned Zhu Wen to his home. “We should make a note of making restroom facilities available during future experiments,” I commented and then turned my attention to Zhu Min. “Besides an irritation of the bladder, everything appears to have gone as expected. However, if you don't want any further inheritances, then you are more than welcome to leave things as they are.”

Zhu Min fidgeted nervously for a few moments before finding her nerve and seeming to come to a decision. “If the patriarch will allow it, I want them all. The Inheritances I mean,” her cheeks flushed with embarrassment but she kept her nerve. “This is our home and I want to do my part to protect it!” Zhu Min declared adamantly.

“A complete Inheritance?” So far as I was aware, my Tyrant’s Body was the only complete Inheritance we had on record. “What do you think?” I asked Gric and Sebet. As the resident experts in artificial Inheritances, their opinions carried considerable weight.

“Theoretically possible,” Gric commented with mild interest. “Almost certainly painful,” he added, almost as an afterthought.

Zhu Min pressed her lips tightly together but remained determined.

“Certainly worth trying,” Sebet agreed. “Could you imagine the benefits if it succeeds? I am totally on board with making an attempt on a subject of my own! What was that elder’s name?”

“Oba Namiko,” Gric answered dryly. “You could also have identified her by her Inheritances.”

Sebet’s memory was close to infallible. So I could only assume the little show she was putting on was for Zhu Min’s benefit.

With a wave of his hand, Gric created a stone chair and motioned for Zhu Min to be seated. After she sat in the chair, he offered her a thick strap of leather. “For the pain, and so you don’t shatter your teeth,” Gric explained calmly.

Hesitating for just a moment, Zhu Min nodded in thanks and bit down into the leather.

“Just to be clear on our objective. The goal is a full body Inheritance?” Gric asked for clarity.

“Ideally,” I agreed.

Gric nodded to himself and then took a firm hold of Zhu Min’s shoulders from behind the chair, pinning her in place.

Gathering his mana, Gric began injecting it into Zhu Min’s body.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. However, after about a minute, Zhu Min’s body suddenly grew stiff and she seized the stone arms of the chair. Breathing heavily through her nose and past the leather strap clenched between her teeth, it quickly became clear that Gric’s prediction had been proven correct. The greater transformation did indeed inflict pain on the recipient.

Clinging tightly to the arms of the chair, Zhu Min’s fingers distended, gaining two extra inches in length. The nails on her fingers fell out and were rapidly replaced by thick claws that left trails in the stone arms of the chair. This process repeated itself moments later when Zhu Min’s toes burst out of her shoes.

“All of her primary organs have been altered,” Sebet observed, watching the transformation and Zhu Min’s Status to track the procedure.

Gric grunted by way of acknowledgement but didn’t stop.

Blinking back tears of blood, Zhu Min released a muffled scream as three calcified protrusions erupted from her forehead.

“That did it!” Sebet cried with excitement.

Checking Zhu Min’s Status for myself, I confirmed that she did, in fact, now possess the Daemon King’s Body Inheritance. Even without it, I could see the ambient energy being drawn toward her. Like the gravity of a celestial body, she appeared to be drawing the energy toward herself without conscious effort.

Releasing Zhu Min’s shoulders, Gric offered a hand to help raise her to her feet.

Shakily rising to her feet, Zhu Min spat the strap of leather from her mouth, revealing sharp wolf-like canines that had punctured the leather. In addition to gaining almost two feet in height, not including the hooked trio of horns protruding from her forehead, the iris of Zhu Min’s eyes had turned blood red and the pupils were slit like those of a serpent.

“Ihd ihd whark?” Zhu Min mumbled unintelligibly. She gingerly rubbed at her jaw and winced.

“It will take getting used to, but you will return to full function,” Gric stated with clinical detachment. “You are just unused to the increase in jaw strength.” He leaned down to take a closer look at her horns and the inflamed flesh surrounding each eruption site. “The swelling will subside on its own. However, treatment by a Surgeon should accelerate the process without reversing or compromising the alterations.”

Taking that as my cue, I used my authority to teleport Wraithe to our location.

“Swelling and pain management,” I explained and waved her toward Zhu Min.

Already reaching for supplies from the bandolier draped over her chest and the satchel at her side, Wraithe pushed past Gric so she could make an assessment of her own.

Gric narrowed his eyes at Wraithe but didn’t make a scene. Instead, he retreated several steps and watched her work.

“She needs supplements to compensate for the rapid bone growth, and a large meal and plenty of fluids to replace the missing blood,” Wraithe commented while applying a glowing blue salve to the swollen tissue at the base of Zhu Min’s horns. “Otherwise...She appears to be in good health.” Wraithe conjured a handful of small yellow-white pills in one hand and a metal cup in the other. “Swallow these,” she instructed, pressing the pills into Zhu Min’s mouth.

Left with little choice, Zhu Min did as she was told.

“Good, now drink,” Wraithe pressed the cup into her hands, allowing her to do that herself.

Zhu Min washed the pills down and drank the rest of the cup’s contents for good measure.

“Drink,” Wraithe repeated, tapping the cup with one claw and refilling its contents.

Zhu Min hesitated but did as she was told.

“What gave you cause to think the horns were the key?” Sebet asked with unabashed curiosity.

“Hrmph,” Gric snorted derisively and looked down his nose at Sebet. “It was the only part that was missing,” he replied condescendingly. “What is a king without his crown?” Gric gingerly tapped the rightmost of his horns.

“It’s truly aggravating that what you just said makes sense...” Sebet groaned. “Although I suppose it will be similar to the Fiend Inheritance...Do you think it will require the wings and tail? Or just the horns? After all, mine don’t serve a higher function like yours do.”

Gric frowned but gave the question serious consideration. Despite their dislike of one another, Gric wouldn’t put his personal feelings above the task at hand. “It isn’t about what you have,” Gric replied distractedly. “You are not a Fiend.”

“Ooooh, I see where you are going with this,” Sebet agreed, “We need to figure out what a Fiend looks like.”

“No,” I interjected without really meaning to do so. Drawing both of their attention as a result. “I think Zhu Min’s transformation is quite close to what a Fiend would look like. Or, at least, close enough. Fiend probably covers a wide range of variations since the cultural references aren’t limited to just Western or Eastern mythologies...”

“I guess we will find out,” Sebet sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting while watching Wraithe continue attending to Zhu Min.

“I want to give Orphiel or Ophelia a crack at it,” I decided. “Just so we know what our options are.”

“The Oba might not be as keen to volunteer for the unknown, now that they have a sure thing that fulfils their needs,” Sebet commented. “Although I suppose we could use that as leverage?”

“No,” I refused flatly, leaving no room for debate. “I will not coerce any of my subjects into volunteering.”

Sebet shrugged, making a show of indifference. “What about testing on some Beasts?”

“It might not even work...But we have nothing to lose in trying,” I conceded. “And if it does work...Well, it could provide a substantial boost in the strength of our reservists.” I considered another option but almost dismissed it out of hand.

Gric and Sebet both stopped what they were doing and stared at me with expressions of profound surprise.

“It shouldn’t be possible though, right?” I huffed dismissively and ran a hand over my scalp to try and ease the tension. “If they aren’t recognised by the system, then the changes wouldn’t mean anything.”

Gric and Sebet exchanged glances with one another.

“We don’t know that for certain,” Gric hedged warily.

“And we lose nothing by trying...” Sebet added with only a hint of hesitation.

Creating a stone cage, I used my authority to teleport a horned rabbit inside. “We need to know if a Beast from the Cultivator System can be given an inheritance first,” I decided, allowing Gric and Sebet to choose amongst themselves who would make the first attempt.

No doubt having come to a silent agreement, Gric approached the cage and seized the horned rabbit by the scruff of its neck. Ignoring its futile attempts at clawing and biting his arm, he began injecting MP into its body.

Similar to what had happened to Zhu Min, a trio of new horns erupted from the rabbit’s skull.

Lacking the means, or immediate desire, to tame the rabbit, it was difficult to tell whether Gric’s modifications had managed to make changes beyond just the physical. However, after sending Zhu Min and Wraithe away, so she could rest and recuperate, it quickly became clear that the rabbit was drawing ambient energy toward itself. Albeit at a rate that was much slower than Zhu Min had been capable of.

“Are we all satisfied with that result?” I asked.

Gric and Sebet both nodded.

“Gaining a more transparent means of confirmation would require altering one of the Transcendent Beasts or Soul Binding to a regular Beast. So I think this is sufficient proof for the time being,” Sebet reasoned aloud.

“It is proof enough to justify experimenting on a regular Beast,” Gric agreed while callously wringing the rabbit's neck.

It was a necessary precaution, so I thought nothing of it.

Replacing the dead-horned rabbit with a Vrabbit, I gave Gric the go-ahead to continue the experiment.

Seizing the Vrabbit, Gric slowly injected his MP into its body.

Ten minutes passed with no signs of change. Then fifteen minutes, twenty minutes...

Roughly an hour into the experiment, horns erupted from the Vrabbit’s skull.

“The Cultivator energy is too thin here,” Gric commented. “Drawing it into the Beast’s body, and keeping it in place long enough to make the modifications, was considerably more difficult than performing the same alterations on a Beast native Cultivator System.”

“Even so, it appears to have worked...” Sebet observed, accepting the struggling Vrabbit from Gric and inspecting it more closely. “Of course, a collar would confirm it,” she exercised her limited authority to conjure a Taming Collar into her free hand. With exceptional manual dexterity, and with intimate familiarity, Sebet latched the collar around the Vrabbit’s neck one-handed.

Inviting myself into Sebet’s party, I inspected the Vrabbit’s Status for myself and quickly confirmed that it not only had a second Status but had gained the Daemon King’s Crown Inheritance. What was strange was that the Species designation was simply listed as ‘Beast’. I only had Kwan to serve as a reference point, but I was reasonably certain most Species were entitled to an individual designation.

Then again, the Vrabbit had been backdoored into the System. So there wasn’t really much of an established precedent to go by.

“We should continue this experiment on Momoko’s Peak,” I decided. “Confirm the energy saturation levels actually play a role in the alteration process.”

Sebet and Gric both nodded in agreement.

Exercising my authority, I relocated us.

“It would stand to reason that we could alter ourselves as well,” Sebet observed with overt interest. “Increasing our potential combat capabilities by a considerable margin.”

“That is not guaranteed,” Gric countered grimly. “Altering ourselves may carry unforeseen risks.”

“Our Tyrant has both,” Sebet pressed eagerly. “And his Bodyguard, Lurr, changed Systems outright-”

“Exactly!” Gric growled. “Lurr was a corpse! He lost all powers and Abilities granted by the primary System! And we should not be compared to the Tyrant!”

“Then what of his offspring?” Sebet countered. “Pete and Suzy have no justifiable explanation for gaining representation in both Systems! Unless it is the Tyrant’s authority that allows it to be so! Authority, that we both possess.”

Gric scowled but said nothing.

“That might be why Orphiel’s attempt failed to produce the desired results,” I reasoned aloud, reconsidering events with the new hypothesis in mind. “We need to test this theory.”

“There is no guarantee that they possess the necessary skills...” Gric commented in a more reasonable tone. “It would be better to have Wraithe make an attempt first. She possesses none of your authority but has the skills required to make the alterations-”

“And we already know that Daemon Inheritances are possible,” Sebet interjected, nodding in agreement.

“Exactly,” Gric agreed with just the barest hint of irritation at being interrupted.

With a new plan and a new set of theories to test, I began making fresh preparations.

A Summoned projection of Wraithe, armed with a wand facilitating the Sculpt Flesh Spell, was quick to prove that while she could make physical alterations, she couldn’t generate the Daemon Inheritances or induct a Beast into the Cultivator System. Proving both Gric and Sebet’s theories were correct, at least nominally correct.

Granting a subordinate a portion of my authority was simultaneously an incredibly big deal, and as trivial as designating a hall monitor. I could rescind that authority at any time I wanted. A stark contrast to the authority Pete had gained after being nominated my heir. I wouldn’t be able to rescind his authority, even if I wanted to.

Presented with the choice between Orphiel and Ophelia, even as a temporary appointment, I had to side with Ophelia.

Orphiel spent the majority of his time on personal pursuits. Which was fine. However, Ophelia spent her time on personal development. Faced with the decision based on who would be more responsible, I was more convinced to select Ophelia.

“You want me to try to do what?” Ophelia asked, experimentally hefting the stone wand and eyeing the test Vrabbit warily.

“Reshape its veins so they may carry this foreign mana that surrounds us,” Gric explained patiently.

Ophelia cast a dubious glance toward Gric before staring at the Vrabbit again. “Is this even possible?” She asked, making no attempts at hiding her doubts.

“We have made such alterations several times already,” Sebet replied confidently. “However, we possess the ability to see the mana currents within living beings, so-”

“I can do that too,” Ophelia interrupted, still staring at the Vrabbit.

“You can?” Sebet asked, masking her surprise far better than I would have managed in her place.

“Mhm,” Ophelia distractedly nodded in the affirmative. “Maybe if I watched you do it first?” She suggested. “Because I don’t even know where to begin...”

It was a fair request. Ophelia spent the majority of her time training and was only passingly familiar with internal anatomy. Sebet had extensive hands-on experience, and Gric possessed an intuitive knowledge of biology that bordered on the insane.

Selecting one of the unaltered Vrabbits, Sebet picked it up by its scruff and held it up so Ophelia would have an unobstructed view.

Although capable of completing the alteration process in as little as half a minute, Sebet dragged it out for Ophelia’s benefit. Making sure she had the best opportunity to succeed when attempting herself.

Or, so I assumed. I couldn’t see mana in the same level of detail that the three of them possessed. While I was using a magnifying glass and marvelling at the detail of the ants, they were looking through a microscope and tracking the movement and mitosis of cells. There really was no comparison.

I was proven right when Ophelia, after witnessing the procedure a single time, began replicating the feat on her own.

“Is that what you wanted?” Ophelia asked uncertainly, seemingly unconvinced that she had done anything of particular note.

“Exactly so!” Sebet praised, leaning in closer so she could inspect the Vrabbit more freely.

“Corrupted Heavenly Veins,” I announced for the others' benefit, assuming they hadn’t been watching the Status from the beginning. “Its properties are...Wait a sec...” I closed the Status and then opened it again so I could be certain I was looking at it with fresh eyes. “Projects an Aura of Corruption, which erodes hostile Auras and Techniques...”

“Aura? Isn’t that from one of the sword Techniques?” Sebet asked warily.

Gric remained silent for several moments and then nodded confidently. “It is one such instance of Aura,” he confirmed. “The Sword Aura. Capable of extending along objects or being projected from the practitioner’s body, the Aura can possess a near-impossible sharpness and indestructibility. Or so the manuals have claimed. If true, it is likely balanced against the strength of the practitioners themselves.”

“I thought that was it,” Sebet agreed.

“So it’s a good thing then?” Ophelia asked uncertainly.

“Seems to be...” I replied distractedly, more interested in another question that had come to mind just at that moment. “Can we apply multiple Inheritances?”

“That...Hrm...May I?” Sebet took the Vrabbit from Ophelia and began injecting mana into its body.

Nothing happened.

Sebet shifted her mana away from the vascular system and toward the primary internal organs. No joy.

“That’s strange...” I commented, somewhat confused by the results. My authority-driven intuition had remained more or less silent throughout. However, that usually implied a more complex or nuanced answer than it was equipped to provide. “What if it’s a matter of compatibility?” I suggested and turned to Gric, “Could you give it a try?”

“Of course,” Gric agreed, accepting the Vrabbit from Sebet. Injecting his mana, Gric went straight for the internal organs.

“It’s still not taking on the Inheritance...” I muttered, closing the Status and opening it again, just to be certain.

“What about Lurr?” Sebet asked pensively. “He has an altogether different Inheritance. If we cannot impart another Inheritance to Lurr, then it would be safe to assume it is beyond our means.”

Gric grunted in agreement but didn’t look happy about it.

“Who should make the attempt?” Ophelia asked, taking a pragmatic rather than just theoretical approach to the problem. “If only one of us can impart a, uh...”

“Inheritance,” Gric interjected.

“An Inheritance,” Ophelia flashed Gric a bright smile in thanks. “They have different effects, don’t they? That’s why you are comparing them, correct? So which Inheritance would grant Lurr the greatest advantage?”

Those were good questions.

“We will explain the differences to Lurr and let him choose,” I decided. “Assuming he wishes to participate,” I added, feeling guilty that I had taken his potential participation as a given.

Unfortunately, due to Lurr’s unique health situation, I couldn’t just Summon a projection to talk things out. Without the Thunder Affinity-Rich Chi he needed to live, any projections of him I summoned would almost immediately fall into a coma.

“There is someone else...” Sebet hedged. “Two people really. Although I suspect one of them would not fit our purposes...”

“Who? Wait...No,” I refused flatly. “I will not subject someone already so mistreated, to further experimentation. That is the exact form of cruelty that I am fighting against!”

“It was merely an observation...” Sebet replied with exaggerated innocence.

Ophelia frowned but didn’t say anything.

“Gric, could you explain things to Lurr and see if he is willing?” I asked.

“Of course,” Gric replied obediently but paused just shy of leaving. “Will the second Status and Cultivation be extended to all of your subjects? Or just those who will stand in Sanctuary’s defence?”

It wasn’t until I opened my mouth to answer that I realised I hadn’t given it nearly enough thought. “I’m not sure,” I admitted. “I need more time to consider things. Why?”

Gric shifted uncomfortably and I could tell he was about to tell me his equivalent of a lie. That is, several truths adjacent to the issue he wants to address. “From a practical standpoint, the more Cultivators there are, the more Cultivation energy will be produced. Allowing Cultivators, such as yourself to progress more quickly. Also, the Cultivation System doesn’t discriminate in the same manner as the native System. Humans and wild monsters who have a capped Evolutionary potential would still have the opportunity to grow stronger-”

“But how would you make that conversion possible en masse?” I challenged, curious to see how much thought Gric had put into the idea and what answers he had come up with.

“We could make a template for a Contract that applies the Sculpt Flesh Spell?” Sebet suggested, rubbing at her chin while slowly pacing back and forth. “Although, that might default the Inheritance to the Fiend as well? I’m not sure, there is a lot of new ground being covered here. We will need to test it.”

“I don’t think I want people taking on the Daemon Inheritance either,” I commented. “The Daemonic Cultivator Class is just too dangerous in the wrong hands.”

“You could just ban and restrict it, the same as you did with the Slaver Classes,” Sebet argued offhandedly. “The Inheritance itself isn’t dangerous, only what people may do with it.”

Sebet’s willingness to argue in favour of another Inheritance came as quite a surprise. I would have expected the influence she stood to gain from a greater number of people holding her Inheritance would have motivated her toward the opposite.

“That’s true...” I agreed warily, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Seemingly content, Sebet made no further attempts at arguing her point. Although she did indulge in a surreptitious smile that appeared to be at Gric’s expense. “Of course, it raises the question regarding which Inheritance would best suit the Tyrantess...”

“It’s her choice to make, not mine,” I stated firmly. Although it did raise the issue that I now had a burden of transparency to uphold. If I kept this matter from Lash, it would only cause problems down the line.

Exercising my authority, I teleported myself to her location.

As I had expected, I found Lash observing our children’s Cultivation lessons. As usual, Eg was at her side. Watching the lessons with wonder and longing in her eyes, but was unable to participate.

We could change that.

Watching the kids train for a while, I used that time to consider how I would explain the results of what we had been working on. However, after twenty or so minutes of tying my brain in knots, I decided that the direct approach would be best.

“We discovered how to turn people into Cultivators,” I commented in a somewhat forced casual tone, trying not to make a huge deal out of what was objectively a pretty huge deal.

“Hrm?” Lash hadn’t been paying attention and stared blankly at me for several seconds before narrowing her eyes at me. “You said...”

“We discovered how to turn people into Cultivators,” I repeated, smiling awkwardly.

Lash drew in a sharp breath in surprise. “This is true?” She asked, trying to suppress her excitement.

I nodded and braced myself just in time for Lash to leap up into my arms and fiercely press her lips against mine. While I was quite a bit larger than her, Lash had proportionately more muscle for her size and the advantage of leverage. Relieved that I managed to keep my footing, I kissed her back and then rested my forehead against hers.

“There is a choice you would need to make first,” I explained with a smile. “Depending on who helps you unlock the Cultivation System, you will get different powers.”

“You can’t?” Lash asked with a bemused smile.

I shook my head and shrugged. “I haven’t actually tried, but I don’t have the eyes for it. I can’t see the mana nearly as well as they do.”

Lash slowly nodded in understanding.

“Besides, I’m not so sure I can pass on the extra benefits that Sebet, Gric and Ophelia can,” I admitted after giving it some more thought. “And it is worth taking the time to consider which of the benefits would suit you best,” I added earnestly.

Lash was about to say something but fell silent as Suzy shattered the central post of a training dummy and sent its top half hurtling in our direction.

Angling to the side, I caught the rogue remnants of the dummy on my back before turning back toward the training yard again. “Nice hit Suzy!” I called out supportively and pumped my right fist in the air for good measure.

“Yeah!” Suzy called back, jumping up and down while pumping her fists. “Suzy smash!” She cackled excitedly.

The teaching assistants, Oba Kei’s senior students, looked on with envy and a small degree of fear. After throwing several rapid rounds of rock paper scissors, the losers ran off to fetch a new dummy and dispose of the broken pole protruding from the training ground floor.

Suzy went through roughly three dozen training dummies a day and the decline in the frivolous aesthetics on the dummies was a testament to the strain she was putting on the craftsman responsible for their construction.

I had no doubt that said craftsmen were probably weeping tears of blood when presented with the splintered remains of their labour. However, the small fortune they were making from replacing the dummies had to count for something.

“What about Eg?” Lash asked after Suzy returned to her training.

Eg was peeking over a low stone wall, her eyes wide with child-like wonder as she watched a large snake made from Pete’s Water Affinity loop and spiral through the air alongside a second snake made of fire.

“She’s in the same boat as you,” I replied with a smile before realising the idiom might not translate. “Ah, I mean, she just has to choose,” I clarified.

Lash gave me a strange look and snorted softly while smiling and shaking her head. “You say strange things sometimes,” she chuckled. “Just say what you mean,” Lash insisted, proud of her progress in exercising more refined and elaborate speech to express her point.

Convincing her to make the effort in the first place had been akin to pulling teeth, so I wasn’t going to argue. I was more than happy to just enjoy the relative moment of peace.

If Gric and Sebet’s proposal proved viable, the next few days would prove to be incredibly demanding. I took what comfort I could in the knowledge that duel System users would make far more formidable combatants, increasing our chances of victory against the beetlemen and their masters. Most importantly, increasing the odds of me making home to my family, healthy and whole.