Chapter 135

Chapter 136. Timid for a God (2)

The moment Keter reached into Lyze’s solar plexus, Henya had already half-drawn her sword. However, an unexpected person stood in her way—Quret, the attending physician.

“Don’t interfere!”

“…!”

If it had been Catherine, whom Keter brought, Henya wouldn’t have stopped. But hearing the words of the physician she had known for so long, she had no reason not to listen. Henya was about to ask Quret why he was stopping her, but there was no need.

*Whoooosh…*

The air trembled.

Henya’s red hair shot upward.

“What is this?!”

The 42nd Butler was startled by the unusual omen. The source of the vibration was Lyze. The tremors that began from him gradually expanded their reach.

Henya spoke calmly but urgently.

“42nd Butler. Leave. I don’t have the strength to protect you too.”

“B-but…”

“I’ll protect Lyze.”

“Understood.”

As soon as the 42nd Butler left, the vibrations intensified, shaking the entire room, and soon the space itself began to distort.

Keter, who had been playful, remained playful. But the veins bulging on his face and arms showed just how focused he was.

Keter began the “Extreme Mana Stagnation Mitigation Modification” he had learned from Franken.

‘First, neutralize the different energies with the power of the Elixir made from 10,000-year-old snow corn. Then, expel all the mana from this guy’s body.’

Mana erupted from Lyze’s entire body like a tidal wave. The vibrations shaking the room were the aftermath of this omen.

Like a dam bursting, 300 years’ worth of mana accumulated in a human body was released into the world. The room was instantly filled with mana, turning it into a deep-sea space made of mana.

Quret, a professor of Mana Pathology, realized what he needed to do.

“Sea Troll’s Essence! That’s why it was needed!”

Quret wanted to move, but the pressure of the mana made it difficult.

And then, he realized something else.

Why Keter had specifically brought Catherine.

“Miss. Apply the Sea Troll’s Essence to Lyze’s body! From head to toe, everywhere!”

Catherine, who carried mana in her body and understood its nature, was relatively free to move. She followed Quret’s instructions exactly.

*Squelch squelch.*

A translucent green essence was applied to Lyze’s body.

The effect was immediately visible. The mana released from Lyze did not return to his body.

Extreme Mana Stagnation is a constitution that excessively attracts mana. Even without doing anything, mana gathers in the body as if drawn by gravity.

Sea Troll’s Essence is a substance with near-zero mana conductivity. In other words, applying it to the entire body completely blocks mana absorption.

But it wasn’t a safe substance.

Sea Troll’s Essence breaks down proteins. At most, 10 minutes. If the surgery isn’t completed within that time, Lyze’s body will melt away without a trace.

‘This isn’t surgery. It’s modification!’

Quret’s pupils trembled. He had prepared a lot of surgical tools thinking Keter would perform surgery, but none were needed.

The medical technique Keter was performing wasn’t human medicine. It was on a completely different level.

“I was a frog in a well.”

It was a self-deprecating remark, but Quret was smiling. Clearly, it was a smile of joy.

Though his body was old, his passion was still that of a youth. Having witnessed a new medical technique, he burned with the desire to learn.

He struggled to wipe the sweat from Keter’s forehead, wanting to be of some help. There was no shame in his actions.

The mana release began to weaken. Finally, 300 years’ worth of mana had completely left Lyze’s body.

“Did it work?”

Henya felt that all the mana tormenting Lyze had left his body, but Quret shook his head.

“No. To put it metaphorically, we’ve only drained the poison. To explain in more detail, if we stop here, Lyze will die. The body remembers the mana it once had. Once the Sea Troll’s Essence disappears, it will instantly absorb 300 years’ worth of mana.”

“Catherine. Two White Flower Pills.”

As Keter spoke, catching his breath, Catherine quickly handed over two White Flower Pills.

After swallowing the elixir, Keter strengthened his arms again. The energy of the elixir flowed through his arms into Lyze’s body.

Lyze’s body was too dependent on mana. Just as humans depend on blood.

Keter was essentially performing a transfusion. Not of blood, but of mana.

And not just any mana, but refined and stable mana to protect Lyze’s body from within.

The White Flower Pill is an elixir known for its “recovery” and “protection” properties. Even Lyze’s weak body could accept it without strain.

After finishing the mana transfusion, sweat dripped from Keter’s forehead again, and Quret quickly wiped it away.

“Catherine. Mix three Volume Dissolution Pills with Drake’s horn powder and knead it with Elf’s blood. Use manifestation magic to shape it into a sphere.”

Originally, Keter would have done this alone, but with Catherine, who had learned manifestation magic, Keter could focus more on maintaining Lyze’s condition.

Catherine immediately did as Keter instructed.

Henya, feeling uncomfortable just watching, cautiously asked.

“Need help?”

“No.”

Catherine firmly refused.

Soon, hot steam erupted from her body as well.

The Volume Dissolution Pill is an elixir that can melt even iron like water, specialized in dissolving and expelling waste accumulated in the body.

However, the Volume Dissolution Pill is very tricky to consume. If taken like other elixirs, the consumer would melt from the inside out and die.

Kneading the Volume Dissolution Pill bare-handed is originally impossible. Even wrapping mana around your hands is useless. The Volume Dissolution Pill melts even mana.

‘That’s why he gave me the White Flower Pill too.’

The White Flower Pill was protecting Catherine.

For now.

‘I need to hurry. Before the effect wears off and my hands melt.’

Outwardly, they seemed calm, but in reality, both Keter and Catherine were risking their lives. It was that dangerous and time-sensitive a surgery.

Only Quret understood this.

Henya didn’t know, but at least she knew Keter and Catherine were focused, so she didn’t act recklessly.

“It’s done.”

“Give it here.”

Catherine didn’t even know what she had made, but Keter was familiar with it.

It was an Artificial Mana Core. Specifically, a “Mana Magnetic Core” with mana magnetism.

Then—

*Swoosh!*

Keter’s hand came out of Lyze’s solar plexus. In his previously empty hand was a gray sphere.

The Artificial Mana Core Franken had implanted in Lyze 10 years ago. A “Mana Fusion Core” with the property of melting mana within the body.

Its durability had run out, causing mana to accumulate uncontrollably in Lyze’s body, eventually leading to his coma.

After removing his teacher’s Mana Fusion Core, Keter inserted a new Mana Magnetic Core he had made. Near the heart.

‘Now, the final hurdle.’

All the mana in the body had been removed.

But if the surgery ended here, mana would eventually fill the body again, leading to death. So, measures had to be taken to prevent mana from accumulating.

Franken had solved this by implanting a Mana Fusion Core with the property of melting mana, but as seen, it had the hassle of needing replacement at specific intervals.

To solve this, Franken invented a new substance and told Keter about it.

‘A Monopole Mana Core. Make that.’

It meant transforming the “Mana Magnetic Core” Catherine had shaped into a core with only repulsive force, a “Monopole Mana Core.”

Originally, a Mana Magnetic Core inevitably has two poles. A repelling north pole and an attracting south pole.

But a “Monopole Mana Core” has only one of these properties.

What Keter was trying to make now was a “repelling” Monopole Mana Core.

This was a substance that defied the laws of the world. Only a Prime, who could interfere with the world’s rules, could create such a thing.

But Franken had said:

‘If you have at least 200 years’ worth of mana and willpower comparable to a Prime, it’s not impossible.’

Those who don’t understand the sensation of interfering with reality can’t comprehend Franken’s words. Even after hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands of attempts, they would all fail.

But Keter was different. Having achieved the realm of a Prime, he knew the sensation and concept of intervening in reality with willpower.

Hundreds of years’ worth of mana were around. The 300 years’ worth of highly concentrated pure mana Lyze had.

But this alone wasn’t enough. Keter squeezed out all his Aura and mana.

*Whoooosh!*

The mana filling the room condensed around Lyze.

But upon closer inspection, it wasn’t simply condensing toward Lyze. It was being transmitted through Keter’s arm to his fingertips.

Soon, the Mana Magnetic Core Catherine had made began to vibrate, and its magnetic properties started to change.

*Rumble rumble rumble!*

Intervening in the world with willpower, not at the level of a Prime, was a “shortcut.” This world disliked such shortcuts.

As expected, the world fiercely resisted. The space itself, including Keter, twisted.

The backlash was much stronger than Keter had anticipated. At this rate, it would fail.

‘Tsk. Do I have to use that? I didn’t want to.’

Humans are made of body and mind.

Heavenly Power unlocks the limits of the body and advances it.

Conversely—

‘If you can unlock the body’s limits, you can also unlock the mind’s limits.’

Keter closed his eyes, then opened them. His pupils turned black.

‘Mandala Manifestation.’

The world as seen through Keter’s eyes became still, as if frozen.

The length of time a human can perceive is only about 0.5 to 0.9 seconds. But with Mandala Manifestation, Keter was perceiving 0.01 seconds. While others perceived 1 second, Keter perceived 100 seconds.

Human willpower is ultimately proportional to size and time. In this situation, what Keter lacked wasn’t the size of his willpower.

The size was sufficient.

What was lacking was “time.”

And now, “Mandala” solved that lack of time.

The space, twisted due to the backlash of trying to manifest willpower in the macro world through a shortcut, gradually stabilized.

For the three people other than Keter, it was a mere 5 seconds. But Keter had exerted his willpower for a full 8 minutes and 20 seconds.

The Monopole Mana Core was complete.

Keter quickly deactivated the Mandala. Time began to accelerate again.

‘That was close.’

Unlike Heavenly Power, Mandala isn’t a technique created by humans. It’s not something that can be learned through effort or talent.

‘That guy observing me… It’s too much to handle.’

In his past life, Keter had used Mandala through a legitimate “transaction,” but now, after regression, he used Mandala without a “transaction” or paying a “price.”

Metaphorically, Keter had committed theft. From a being who wouldn’t just kill you if caught.

‘Using it once briefly like this won’t get me caught, but if I use it often, that guy will eventually notice.’

Keter erased all thoughts of Mandala from his mind. Just thinking about Mandala could get him observed by “that” being.

“Catherine, alcohol.”

“Yes.”

The reason Keter had the 42nd Butler prepare alcohol was precisely for situations like this.

Simply erasing thoughts wasn’t enough. If he were to use Mandala, he needed a trigger to erase Mandala from his mind.

Keter chugged a bottle of thousand-year-old fine liquor and shook his head vigorously. The intoxicating energy quickly permeated his body and mind.

“Ah, good. This makes the surgery worth it.”

“I-is it over?”

Quret cautiously asked. From his perspective, Keter’s surgery had started abruptly and ended in an instant.

Keter wiped the blood from his hands on his pants and spoke.

“Wash off the Sea Troll’s Essence. The holes can be sutured by you, old man. Can you do it?”

“I can, but… What kind of surgery did you perform on Lyze, if I may ask?”

Though tired and annoyed, Keter gave a rough explanation since Quret had helped without complaint.

“I created a new constitution to counteract Extreme Mana Stagnation.”

“You added a constitution? Is that even possible with medicine!? H-how!?”

“You can figure that out yourself, old man.”

Though Quret pleaded with cat-like eyes, Keter wasn’t one to stop for such things.

“Let’s go, Catherine.”

“Wait, Keter. Is Lyze really okay? Will he wake up now?”

Henya’s tone was filled with worry and expectation. Keter shrugged.

“Of course. Who do you think performed the surgery?”

* * *

Lyze’s surgery was successfully completed, but Keter and Catherine weren’t at ease. They calmly but hurriedly returned to the guest room.

“You’re back!”

The Sephira Triad and the Lunar Knight Order greeted them, but Keter, of course, and even Catherine ignored their greetings and quickly sat in a meditative position.

*Whoooosh!*

Spiritual energy flowed from Keter and Catherine’s bodies. Seeing this, the Lunar Knight Order quickly formed a protective formation.

It wasn’t the effect of consuming an elixir. More importantly, their entire bodies had been steeped in 300 years’ worth of highly concentrated mana.

It had no effect on Henya, who carried Aura in her body, but Keter and Catherine had Mana Cores within them. An enormous concentration and amount of mana had been partially absorbed by Catherine and Keter.

It was a miracle.

An indescribable, tremendous miracle.

Originally, Catherine had only about 6 years’ worth of mana. This was only because Keter had given her elixirs from Sephira.

But now, Catherine’s body was teeming with 30 years’ worth of mana.

Keter had also gained a miracle. But unlike Catherine, it wasn’t just an increase in mana.

An unexpected upheaval had come.

*Crack, craaack.*

Keter’s skin, sitting in meditation, split open. Dazzling light seeped through the cracks.

The Sephira Triad, witnessing this, were too shocked to close their mouths. Especially Mail, who muttered as he watched Keter, enveloped in radiant light, shedding his skin.

“Metamorphosis really exists…!”

Mail’s eyes, having witnessed a miracle only seen in ancient texts, trembled as if he had met a god.