Chapter 250 : Chapter 250

Chapter 250: Thump, Thump, Thud

Suppressing ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the growing unease in her heart, she walked over to the wooden rack. For some reason she could not explain, her fingertips had begun to feel cold.

She ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍picked up the topmost loose note. The paper was so brittle it seemed as though it would crumble at the slightest touch. The ink had faded with age into a brownish stain, but the structure of the elven script was still barely legible.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍handwriting was wild and hurried, the strokes carrying an excitement so poorly restrained that it was almost sickening. It had completely lost the elegance and composure proper to elven writing.

Ilyss ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍focused her eyes and read. It was someone’s journal.

[Record ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Date: Star Calendar, Seventh Era, Month of New Shoots, Seventeenth Cycle]

Three ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍hundred and twenty-first targeted fusion experiment.

Subject: Elf, adult male, volunteer No. 47.

Bloodline Purity: Above average. No obvious defects.

Injected Material: “Secondary Dragon-Blood Active Factor” (Source: remains from an ancient dragon graveyard, extracted purity 73%, dilution used in this experiment: one in ten thousand).

Process Record:

Early Stage (within one hour of injection): Subject remained calm. Mana fluctuations were stable.

Middle Stage (one to three hours): Irregular scale-like keratinous growth began appearing across the subject’s body, first on the arms and back, accompanied by severe pain response, screaming, and attempts to break free of restraints. The Mana circuits began exhibiting abnormal hyperactive fluctuations. Attempted intervention using a foundational Gospel stabilization array of preliminary design to guide the Mana and pacify the mind... results negligible.

Late Stage (three to five hours): Scaling accelerated and spread to the torso. The subject's mental state collapsed completely, displaying extreme aggression and self-harm tendencies. Mana circuit load continued to rise, approaching the critical threshold. Attempted injection of sedative, Formula No. 7... ineffective.

Final Stage (five hours and seven minutes): Subject’s Mana circuits overloaded, and a chain collapse and rupture began from the chest and abdomen. Experiment terminated.

Observational Conclusions:

1. Even at the current dilution, the dragon-blood factor still produces severe rejection and invasive mutation in elven subjects.

2. During the stage of Mana rampage, the foundational Gospel array is insufficient in its ability to guide the flow. The suppression and conversion modules for high-order external energy must be strengthened.

3. The subject’s mental defenses failed completely. A more powerful soul-stabilizing potion or supporting array must be developed.

4. Subject No. 47 tolerance assessment: unqualified. Experiment failed.

Next Direction: Reduce the dragon-blood factor dilution to one in one hundred thousand, or consider replacing the subject with one of higher Mana affinity, such as an elven juvenile whose Mana has not yet awakened.

What was this lunatic even writing?

The fingers with which Ilyss held the paper began trembling uncontrollably.

Her eyes were locked on those cold, methodical lines.

Every word was like an icy needle piercing her pupils and stabbing straight into her mind.

Volunteer?

What kind of volunteer would lie upon a filthy stone table like this, be injected with so-called dragon-blood factor, grow scales across the body in unspeakable agony, and finally die when the Mana inside them burst apart?

She flung the note away as though it had burned her.

Then she snatched up another notebook beside it, thicker this time, with a leather cover.

There was no title on the front.

Only a familiar, elegant signature in the lower right corner—

Serandil.

His notes?

Ilyss’s heart began hammering. A terrible premonition drenched her like ice water as she opened it with trembling hands.

The handwriting inside was at times orderly and rigorous, at times wildly unrestrained, but all of it came from the same person.

The contents were far more detailed, systematic, and—

far more horrifying—

than the loose pages she had just read.

“...Expansion plan for experimental subject sourcing. Early stage used purchased slaves of various races. Costs were low, but the baseline quality was poor, and the Gospel rune acceptance rate was below one in a thousand. Data value limited. Beginning with the one hundred and third experiment, wild-collected elven samples were introduced. Elven subjects show markedly greater foundational compatibility with the Gospel than foreign races, but the variation between individuals is extreme. A more detailed classification database must be established...”

“...First introduction of infant elven samples. Juvenile subjects show weaker rejection to external energy than adults, but physical strength and mental stability are far too poor. Collapse occurs during the initial stage of Gospel inscription. Conclusion: juveniles are not ideal subjects, but may serve as a control group for tolerance testing under extreme conditions...”

“...Attempt to introduce variable: sex. Comparative experiment, No. 333, adult male elf; No. 334, adult female elf, pregnant at the same time. Under the influence of gestational hormones, the female subject showed a strange increase in initial stability during fusion with the Gospel. However, after mid-pregnancy, due to the division of life energy, both the mother and fetus suffered irreversible mutation and collapse... a pity. Perhaps the energy linkage between mother and fetus itself is a direction worth deeper exploration...”

“...Major breakthrough! After comparing more than four hundred elven subjects, I have finally produced a preliminary chart mapping elven bloodline purity against the affinity gradients of each foundational Gospel rune unit! The higher the purity, the greater the overall rise in affinity gradient—but the bottleneck still remains. Four! Still the absolute limit of stable simultaneous operation for four runes! Is the elven body, this so-called masterpiece of nature, truly such a fragile shackle?!”

“...I need a purer sample. Something far beyond ordinary elves, something that gathers the essence of the race... royal blood. Only royal blood may be able to bear a more complex Gospel and touch that forbidden domain... but the royal family is heavily guarded, and the target is too conspicuous...”

“...A gift from heaven! My youngest sister, Lyra, secretly came to the observation station to see me. She expressed curiosity about—and support for—my current research. She possesses the purest bloodline of the current royal house, astonishing magical talent, and a passion for knowledge equal to my own. She may be willing. Yes, she is willing to offer herself for the future of our people, for an evolution beyond the ordinary. This will be the ultimate experiment. If even Lyra’s royal-blood body cannot break through the limit of the Four Gospels, then this path...”

At that point, the handwriting that followed became utterly frantic and trembling, nearly unreadable. Great smears of ink blotted the page, as though the writer had fallen into a state of overwhelming excitement, ecstasy, or madness.

Only the final lines remained legible, written in huge letters pressed so hard they nearly tore through the paper:

“It succeeded!!! No—it was a partial success!! Lyra’s body successfully bore the inscription of the fifth foundational Gospel rune! Only for seventeen seconds—but seventeen seconds! I saw it! She surpassed the elven form—holy radiance blossomed from her body! The path opened! Although afterward... afterward her body began an irreversible ascension, she proved it! This path is correct! The direction is correct!!! The shackles of the elves can be broken! With the Gospel as the stairway, we too may reach...”

The writing broke off abruptly, as though the writer had suddenly been stripped of all strength—

or as though his attention had been completely seized by something else.

Thud.

The leather notebook slipped from Ilyss’s hand and fell to the dust-covered floor with a dull sound.