Chapter 46: Chapter 38: Future Optimization Directions for Flesh Conversion

Next, he repeated the previous process to complete the modification of the Horned Rabbit. Like the Demon Wolf, the Horned Rabbit’s modification consisted of its own bloodline factor, a Wind Attribute bloodline factor, and a buffer agent.

The former would make the Horned Rabbit stronger, while the latter, sourced from the Demon Wolf, gave it a chance to awaken a Wind Attribute Magic. Even if it was unlucky and no ability awakened, it would make future modifications involving Magic Rune Engraving proceed more smoothly.

The art of Magic Rune Engraving originally stemmed from Wizards carving the magical patterns of Demons onto items to make casting Magic easier. Over time, it evolved into the current practice of engraving magical runes directly onto the body, granting the individual the ability to cast the corresponding Magic.

After many years of development, the techniques of Magic Rune Engraving have become increasingly mature, and the engraved Magic can now grow in power. This has given rise to a niche school of Wizardry where practitioners engrave runes on their own bodies, enabling them to instantly cast more Magic and making them quite formidable in battle.

However, such Wizards are rare. Most still prefer to engrave the runes on their tamed Demons, making it one of the major branches of biological modification.

In fact, Magic Rune Engraving accounts for a significant portion of biological modification Witchcraft, and most biological modifications ultimately lead back to this path.

But what could be done? The concept behind bloodline factors was simply too profound, its potential too immense.

So naturally, more Wizards researched bloodline factors. And with more Wizards came more related literature.

And while the development of Magic Rune Engraving was also significant, it was mostly on a purely technical level. Within the Wizard community, which largely consists of research-oriented scholars, it naturally garnered less attention.

Faced with this situation, Isaac certainly wasn’t going to pick just one field of study. ’An adult’s greed means I’ll take them all!’

’Besides, I have a cheat~’

Thus, thinking ahead, Isaac added the Wind Attribute bloodline factor to the Horned Rabbit’s modification plan. ’Even if it fails to awaken an ability, it’ll be more convenient for future engraving, right?’

After the Horned Rabbit was taken care of, Harmon, without a moment’s rest, heaved the enormous Demonized Wild Boar onto the operating table.

The modification for the Demonized Wild Boar, however, was different from the previous two Demons. Although it also involved three bloodline factors, apart from the third one, the other two were both Earth Attribute bloodline factors; the Demonized Wild Boar’s own was not used.

’After all, it’s just a Non-Rank Demon. How strong could its bloodline factor possibly be?’

In addition to the bloodline factors, Isaac also replaced the Demonized Wild Boar’s heart with that of a Tier One Demon, a Rock-skinned Wild Boar.

Once everything was complete, Isaac didn’t have Harmon carry the boar away. Instead, he took a step back to carefully observe its condition.

Under the influence of the Magic Spell, the newly transplanted heart gradually began to fuse with the body. A copious amount of earthen-yellow Magic Power surged from the heart, quickly flooding the boar’s entire system. The moment this "immense" amount of Magic Power entered its body, it began to drastically reshape the creature’s physique.

During this process, Isaac was surprised to discover that the fusion of the bloodline factors was actually accelerating under the influence of this Magic Power!

The acceleration was slow, but it was undeniably happening...

Watching the boar on the operating table, Isaac narrowed his eyes slightly. ’I didn’t expect this... an unexpected bonus~’

’But I’ll need to observe it further to determine which part is causing this effect.’

This phenomenon wasn’t mentioned in his sister’s collection of books. ’Perhaps it was never discovered, or maybe she just doesn’t have the relevant Magic Books.’

However, Isaac was more inclined to believe the former, as techniques like heart and blood transplants had long been obsolete. Currently, they were only used by a small number of poor Legendary Mages. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

’Like Isaac, for example~’

’So, it was perfectly normal that the Arcanist lords hadn’t discovered this.’

Isaac didn’t dwell on it for long, however. As interesting as it was, a great enemy was at hand, and he knew how to prioritize. He simply jotted it down in his notebook to research later.

’For now, there were more important matters to attend to~’

After collecting the data, Harmon lifted the massive Demonized Wild Boar into an iron cage and secured it. Then, man and claw proceeded to another testing area. In the center of the site stood five iron cages, containing the Demon Wolf, the Horned Rabbit, a Wilderness Spirit Deer, the Demonized Wild Boar, and the Demonized Rat with the transplanted heart.

The five Demons weren’t unconscious as they had been during surgery. Not only were they awake, but they were full of vigor and in excellent condition!

Case in point: the most ferocious of the bunch, the Demon Wolf, was currently baring its teeth at Isaac.

"HSSS!!"

Harmon shot in front of the Demon Wolf’s cage, its palm splitting open to reveal two hundred sharp, gleaming sawtooths!

Baring teeth? Anyone could do that!

Isaac sighed and patted Harmon, calling it back. This experiment wasn’t a teeth-baring contest.

Harmon sealed the split in its palm and flew back to hover behind Isaac’s head. It pointed straight toward the sky, its five fingers spread wide. A stream of Magic Power flowed from Isaac into Harmon, which then channeled the amplified power into the five Demons in the iron cages.

Talent Witchcraft: Flesh Transformation!

That’s right. What Isaac was testing this time was a long-held concept for his own Talent Witchcraft.

Since the effect of Flesh Conversion was to transform Demonized Flesh into a controllable living creature for combat, it was clearly a form of Summoning Technique.

In Isaac’s view, however, there was another potential application for this Witchcraft—using it on living subjects!

’If this Witchcraft could affect living Demons, or any creature possessing Magic Power for that matter, its combat value would skyrocket!’

Unfortunately, his previous experiments had all ended in failure.

This was Isaac’s seventh attempt, utilizing the seventh version of his Talent Witchcraft: Flesh Transformation.

Unfortunately, after three minutes, not a single one of the five Demons had changed. Failure...

Isaac’s brow furrowed. ’Failure itself isn’t frightening; it’s a common part of experimentation.’

’But a failure that yields nothing... now that is frightening...’

’Is this path a dead end?’

Isaac shook his head, his brow still furrowed. ’No, that can’t be it. I must be missing some condition. This requires further research...’

Fortunately, while this experiment had yielded no results, his studies over the past week had given Isaac a new direction for improvement: approaching it from the angle of bloodline factors!

From this angle, Isaac had plenty of ideas. After all, genetic mutations weren’t exactly unheard of in his past life. Although he had never formally studied the subject, he had a passing familiarity with it. Making a crude imitation shouldn’t be too difficult.

And as long as his "imitation tiger" produced some effect, the rest would fall into place. ’The first step is always the hardest, after all~’

He interrupted the Magic. While Harmon took care of cleaning the lab, Isaac went to prepare Harmon’s reinforcement ritual. The items he had purchased from the Truth Association had finally arrived.

In truth, the items had arrived three days ago, but Isaac had been so engrossed in his study of bloodline factors that he’d delayed retrieving them.