Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

"Hmph, even if it's to cultivate suitable 'test subjects,' you deceive those ignorant girls into preparing the wrong medicine while pretending to be oblivious and enjoying their panicked expressions. Lord Mayocles, even if most of them aren't your 'own people,' but rather the fools of this Cornish town, with your strength, there's no need for you to deliberately play them for fools, is there?"

Ryuu realized in her heart that it was exactly as she had guessed. The whole farce outside was orchestrated by Mayocles. The young nun hadn't dispensed the wrong medicine; the patient's sudden loss of control and physical mutations were all the result of Mayocles' deliberate manipulation.

With the Chosen One's power and methods, completely controlling this town and manipulating all its residents would be a piece of cake; there's no need for any unnecessary charade or drama. Gavin's sarcasm hit the nail on the head; this man clearly revels in it, enjoying the perverse pleasure of toying with mortals' fears and controlling their destinies.

"I simply enjoy observing human reactions. Count, don't you think that humans and magical beasts are both living beings, essentially no different? Haven't our achievements these past few days made you understand this? In this respect, your daughter is far more enlightened than you."

Mayo Kris's flippant words acted as a fuse, instantly igniting Gavin's long-suppressed anger. The man, who had been keeping his head down and suppressing his anger, suddenly raised his eyes, a surge of fury burning within them, and slammed the dish he was washing to the ground!

With a sharp crash, porcelain shards shattered and scattered. The next second, the clear water in the pool suddenly rose into the air, drawn by water magic, swirling and dancing around him, like a water dragon poised to pounce. The sharp magical fluctuations instantly swept through the entire treatment room.

Ryuu, who had been lying in wait in stealth, immediately moved slightly and quietly retreated to the shadows in the far corner of the room. His invisibility and silencing magic could conceal his figure and aura, but it could not prevent physical contact and magical fluctuations. Once he was hit by the swirling water or the violent magical waves, the invisibility barrier would inevitably break, instantly revealing his whereabouts.

After a brief moment of restraint, Gavin's eyes blazed with fury. He finally broke free from his long-suppressed anger and roared at Mayo Cress:

"You can humiliate me all you want! Make me do these beastly jobs! But let me tell you! If you dare to have any designs on Ada, I will absolutely not let you off!"

Seeing that he was completely enraged and his magic was raging, Mayocles feigned fear and took a half step back, pretending to raise his hand in a show of weakness, but his eyes were full of mocking sarcasm as he slowly and deliberately began to provoke him:

"What could I possibly think? She did all those things voluntarily! Besides, it's clearly your family's lax discipline that allowed your sheltered daughter to get in touch with our people."

"you!"

Gavin's anger intensified, and the water around him trembled more violently. Mayokris, watching his furious yet powerless state, grew increasingly manipulative, her words piercingly scathing, relentlessly trampling on a father's bottom line and dignity:

"Besides! You treat your young lady like a treasure, but in my eyes, she's nothing more than a useless person who's exhausted all her life potential. Even if she has the appearance of a noble lady, her inner self is already like withered bones. I'd be afraid of getting dirty by getting involved with someone like that. Hahaha!"

"You beast!"

No father could tolerate such humiliation of his daughter. Gavin was utterly enraged and roared! The water swirling around him suddenly surged at high speed, transforming into countless sharp, blade-like attacks that hurtled towards Mayokris!

Even with his staff confiscated and subjected to constant suppression and restraint, the former water magician's foundation is still not to be underestimated, and his skill in casting instant spells without incantation remains superb.

Despite the fierce killing move, Mayo Cress remained unfazed, simply making a light pinch in the air with one hand.

In an instant, the raging water blades froze and dissipated, all the water in the room cascading to the floor. Gavin's face turned deathly pale, his body writhing in excruciating pain, convulsing violently. He collapsed to his knees, curling up in agony, a suppressed roar escaping his throat:

"Ugh—Aaaaaah!!!"

“I told you, the magical artifact I implanted in you wasn’t just for show.” Mayocles’ mocking expression vanished, replaced by a sinister chuckle as he slowly walked to Gavin. He stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the kneeling, agonizing man, his tone full of amusement. “But I really shouldn’t underestimate you. Even without your staff, you can still complete a spell so quickly without incantation. With your proficiency in water magic, you’re perfectly suited to be my assistant.”

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes flashing with a sinister light, and spoke again, his tone carrying a chilling threat: "As for your daughter, although I have no interest in human women, your words just now still made me very unhappy. Gavin Reed, I'll ask you again, if I really did take a liking to your daughter, what would you do?"

The moment the words left his mouth, a blinding ray of light suddenly shone through Mayokris's chest. The outline of a sharp, broken blade, more than ten centimeters long, was faintly visible through his clothes. A powerful and domineering force suddenly swept through the entire room, making it hard for people to breathe.

Under the suppression of this terrifying, domineering power originating from the very source of the demonic sword, Gavin, who had just been struggling in a rage, saw his anger and sanity rapidly fade. He became like a soulless walking corpse, his voice stiff and numb as he mechanically murmured:

“Of course, you can do as you please, my respected Master Mayocles, the explorer of the secrets of life, the pioneer of the mysteries of the human body…”

Ryuu's pupils contracted sharply as he stared intently at the glowing spot on Mayocles' chest, a tidal wave of emotions surging within him.

Fortunately, he didn't act rashly. This was not the small fragment he had previously estimated, but a solid, complete broken blade of the demonic sword! Its size and power far exceeded the fragment that Liu Xia held in his hand; the difference was like heaven and earth!

At this moment, Ryūka truly witnessed the terrifying power of Ruklati's primal authority. Both were at the Grand Master level, yet Mayokris, merely by activating the power of the broken blade in her chest, could instantly strip away the mind and will of a peer, taming a top-tier mage into a puppet to be manipulated. Even a witch skilled in mental charm and will manipulation could never so easily and irresistibly suppress a peer.

Listening to Gavin's mechanical, stiff flattery, Mayocles' face revealed an expression of extreme satisfaction. Ryuu was filled with disgust and contempt. These obsequious words were most likely the false rhetoric Mayocles had deliberately instilled in her and personally taught her. Indulging in this self-satisfied false submission, twisted and morbid—Gavin's assessment was entirely accurate; this man was a complete and utter pervert.

Just then, clear footsteps echoed again from the hidden door Gavin had just emerged from.

With a slight thought, Mayokris's glint of light from the broken blade of the demonic sword at his chest vanished in an instant, and his dominion power quietly receded. The next second, Gavin, who had been slumped on the ground, suddenly stood up, and the water stains scattered on the ground flowed back into the pool under his control of water magic, erasing all traces.

A moment later, Gavin slowly came to his senses, his body swaying slightly, his brow furrowed with a deep-seated weariness, and he coughed incessantly. His eyes were blank and confused, he had no recollection of the entire process of his furious confrontation and being forcibly controlled, as if the intense conflict and mental enslavement had never happened.

Ryūka took it all in, his heart growing increasingly heavy. Mental suppression, memory manipulation, and the double-layered control of a pre-embedded magical artifact—layers of insurance, meticulous planning, extreme caution. Coupled with his obsessive and morbid experimental habits, this Chosen One cadre was far more troublesome than he had anticipated.

He immediately asked the sword spirit in his mind, "Rukra, how long can I resist the power of your origin that he just used?"

“It’s hard to say.” Rukla’s voice was grave as she answered seriously. “You possess the power of order, naturally resistant to the corruption of the demonic sword, and have extremely strong resistance. It will be difficult for him to completely control your will. However, this broken blade is enormous and domineering. Although it cannot control you, it can forcibly slow down your thought processes and disturb your mind, enough for him to escape and protect himself. Moreover, you absolutely cannot get too close to him. Getting too close will not only cause your invisibility magic to fail, but the fragments on your body will also resonate strongly with the main broken blade in his hand, revealing your whereabouts. Most importantly, this person has not yet revealed all his cards. He is meticulous and extremely cunning. We have better continue to lie low and observe, and not act rashly.”

Liu Xia silently nodded, agreeing with her judgment, and suppressed the urge to snatch the broken blade from her heart.

Just as he was exchanging thoughts with Rukla, the tightly closed hidden door was pushed open completely, and a slender figure slowly walked into the examination room. The newcomer was wearing the same old apron as Gavin, dressed in simple work clothes, having shed the lively and bright demeanor of a noble lady. It was Ada Reed.

Chapter 38 Bizarre Surgery

Ida's attire was almost identical to her father Gavin's, with the same simple and worn-out work apron, completely blending into the cold and oppressive treatment room.

The only difference was that she held a sealed iron box steadily in her hands, and wisps of chilling air seeped out from the gaps in the box. The cold mist lingered around her fingertips, making the surrounding air feel slightly cold.

To maintain the low temperature inside the box, Ada continuously and slowly poured her magical energy into the bottom of the box.

Ryuka observed quietly. It seemed that the water magic she inherited from her family had mutated and was not exactly the same as Melanie's ice magic. It could only be cast in the presence of liquid.

At this moment, Ada's expression was as indifferent as a puppet devoid of emotions, her brows and eyes calm and still, without the slightest fluctuation.

She gently placed the box on the empty space next to the operating table, then quietly stepped aside to stand. Her posture was neat and her movements were mechanical, befitting a well-trained assistant.

She seemed completely unaware of the argument and mind control farce that had erupted between her father and Mayo Cress in the treatment room just now.

“Nana, start.”

Mayokris's lips curled into a morbid, obsessive smile as he picked up a sharp, cold scalpel and slowly walked toward the unconscious patient on the operating table.

He did not rush to make the cut. Instead, he raised his hand and gently stroked the man's chest skin, his fingertips pulsating with magic, as if he were carefully exploring and sensing the state of the blood vessels and organs inside the human body.

As he channeled his magic, an ancient, obscure, and mottled spell pattern quietly flowed and spread throughout the room, a faint magical aura lingering around him.

Liu Xia's heart suddenly stirred, and an extremely familiar touch arose, along with a sense of oppression that seemed to come from nowhere.

It is the exclusive spell of the Life Demon Sword!

This magical fluctuation is of the same origin as the life-secret technique he encountered in Raven Ridge.

However, compared to the incomplete and crude spells of the past, the magic Mayocles is now casting is more refined, more mature, and more precisely controlled.

However, when compared to the power level of the main body, the two are still worlds apart.

After Atina and Sinatil's great battle, the silver vines left on the battlefield were merely remnants, but their purity and level of magic far surpassed the power Mayokris was currently wielding.

Ultimately, Atina, who wields the demon sword [Idunir], controls the original life power of a true god, while Mayocles's replica based on the fragments of the demon sword is merely a superficial imitation technique, merely having the form but not the spirit. The two are simply incomparable.

The Ruklati in Ryūsha's hand was now just a fragment, yet its power of control and suppression far surpassed that of ordinary magic.

Ryuka could only imagine just how pure the complete demonic sword's power was.

Now is not the time to miss Atina. Although nearly half a year has passed, without the assistance of Princess Tipalotura, Ryukyu alone cannot break the heretical seal of East Lake.

At this moment, Ryuka could only quickly combine the information she had received, arrange and analyze it in her mind, and make plans for what would happen next:

Mayocles was undoubtedly one of the key participants in the Ravenhill incident. It was that opportunity that allowed him to come into close contact with the power of the Life Sword and glimpse the forbidden secrets of life transformation and flesh modification.

It was from that time that he began to delve into the mysteries of life, and the root of all the crazy acts, including the decades-long human-animal fusion experiments, the bizarre conversion rituals of believers, and the secret live research in Cornwall, can be found here.

As Ryuga gazed at the man before her, so engrossed in his experiment that he seemed almost obsessive, her heart grew heavier.

Mayocles was already twisted and mentally ill, and now he has mastered forbidden secret arts that can alter flesh and blood and manipulate life. After decades of in-depth research, no one can imagine how many terrifying achievements he has accumulated behind the scenes.

Liu Xia sighed inwardly, and even couldn't help but feel a helpless plea, hoping that the scenes she was about to see would not reach the darkest and most twisted bottom line, and that there would not be any perverted scenes that completely subverted her understanding and were outrageous.

For example, 'big brother' or something...

Under Ryūka's focused gaze, Mayocles became completely absorbed in his experiment.

After using his life magic to conduct a comprehensive examination of the patient's body and understand all the meridian structures, a look of obsessive fervor flashed in his eyes. With a swift wrist flick, the sharp scalpel instantly sliced ​​open the patient's chest skin.

Warm blood instantly seeped from the wound, staining the white surgical cloth red.

Gavin, who was assisting from the side, could not hide his physical disgust and discomfort when he saw this, and subconsciously looked away.

Standing on the other side, Ada's breathing became rapid and heavy involuntarily. Her clear eyes were fixed on the wound, with an almost fanatical light surging in them, as if she were witnessing an unparalleled and sacred miracle, without the slightest fear or discomfort.

The three of them cooperated seamlessly and with perfect teamwork during the subsequent surgical procedure, clearly having rehearsed it countless times and becoming so proficient that it was almost instinctive.

Mayocles performed the entire experimental surgery, but his technique appeared crude, stiff, and utterly lacking in finesse to the layman Ryusha, even bordering on violent destruction, and was far from being a proper medical procedure.

But it was precisely this clumsy operation that was perfectly covered by another person.

Gavin remained silent throughout, using his exquisite water magic to control the circulation of all the blood and fluids in the patient's body with unimaginable precision.

No matter how roughly Mayocles cuts, peels away tissue, or removes organs, Gavin's water magic acts like an invisible barrier, firmly locking the wound and stabilizing bodily functions.

Even if flesh and blood are cut apart and organs are temporarily removed, the patient will not bleed to death and the body's functions will remain stable, perfectly protecting this bizarre surgery.

This combination of magic and 'science' left Ryuka in awe.

Unfortunately, the scene before us is not one of healing and saving lives.

Regardless of what the Chosen Ones are researching, Ryuka doesn't believe they'll use it for anything worthwhile.

Ida, on the other hand, precisely coordinates all the auxiliary tasks.

She handed over various cold instruments and magical crystals to replenish her magic power, and raised her hand to wipe away the sweat from her father's brow and lips, who was covered in sweat from the intense manipulation of magic and the great strain on his mind.

Whenever Mayokris successfully peeled off a piece of special flesh and blood tissue, she would immediately step forward, condense extreme cold air at her fingertips, precisely freeze the detached flesh and blood sample, and steadily place it into the cold air wooden box she carried with her.

Although he was afraid of triggering the resonance of the Demon Sword fragments, Ryuka dared not get too close to the operating table, but he could approach the box from Ada's side.

He could clearly see that the inside of the box was meticulously divided into many independent compartments, containing not only the strange flesh and blood they had removed, but also some oddly shaped organs that had been prepared there beforehand. The three of them had not only peeled and extracted special mutated flesh and blood from the patient's body, but had also implanted unknown frozen organs that had been prepared in advance into the man's chest cavity. He wondered what the effect would be.

The implanted tissues were strangely shaped and had bizarre textures, unlike anything a normal human body should have; they vaguely resembled the savage texture of monster flesh and blood.

However, under the continuous nourishment of Mayocles' life magic, these alien tissues gradually and perfectly merged with the human flesh, meridians, and organs at a speed visible to the naked eye, completing a miraculous transformation of flesh and blood.

The entire surgery was eerie and chilling, yet it also carried a twisted sense of order.

After all the replacement, fusion, and fine-tuning procedures were completed, Mayo Cress raised his hand and gently touched the wound in the patient's chest cavity.

The life force flowed slowly, and the previously hideous wound healed, scabbed over, and smoothed out at a speed visible to the naked eye. In the end, the skin was as smooth as before, without leaving a single scar. Its perfection was comparable to the highest level of holy healing magic.

The patient on the operating table was breathing steadily and looked peaceful. From the outside, he was no different from an ordinary person, as if the cruel flesh-and-blood replacement had never happened.

"Thank you for your hard work, Earl~ As expected of a water-elemental archmage who possesses the legitimate bloodline of an ancient noble family and has cultivated himself step by step, he is different from those 'fake' talents who are forcibly 'ripened'~ I'll leave the cleanup work to you from now on~"

Mayokris's eyes were filled with the satisfaction and pleasure of a successful experiment. He glanced at the father and daughter with a condescending and mocking tone, and lazily gave his orders.

"Ida, take this man to the outer room and wait for the nuns to take him away."

After giving his instructions, he picked up the box full of frozen samples by himself, his expression extremely devout, as if he were holding a rare and unique treasure. He hummed a light and eerie tune, turned around and left the examination room, leaving behind only the exhausted Reed and his daughter.

Gavin braced himself on the edge of the pool with one hand, breathing heavily, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.

The intense, precise manipulation of magic he had just been doing had almost completely drained his mind, leaving him severely mentally exhausted.

Ryuka observed the experiment with a detached eye, but had already grasped the core logic of the experiment.

Mayocles' mastery of life magic is far from being as perfect and unsolvable as it appears.

He can indeed rely on the secret techniques he obtained from analyzing the Demon Sword to complete the transplantation of alien organs, weaken the body's rejection reaction, and heal wounds and nourish flesh and blood with basic life magic, with effects almost identical to high-level healing holy arts.

However, his shortcomings are extremely obvious—his life-saving techniques are mostly limited to the level of life perception, harmonization, and wound healing, and he is fundamentally unable to accurately control the living state of the human body and maintain vital signs during surgery.

The core reason why the entire experiment was able to be completed smoothly was actually Gavin's extremely precise control of water magic. It was his ability to forcibly stabilize the patient's vital signs and provide a safety net for Mayocles' crazy experiment.

Then Ryuka recalled what Sienna had read from Rhys's memories—the experiment Rhys was kidnapped to when he was young, and the scene was quite crude.

It was nowhere near as sophisticated as the operating room looks now. It seems that the project in Cornwall is slowly evolving, and the addition of Gavin Reed has given Mayokris a significant boost.

Mayokris's satisfied expression was as if a project that had been stalled for many years had suddenly made progress.

Having figured this out, Ryuka's doubts only deepened.

Mayocles has spent decades conducting insane experiments in Cornwall, controlling the fate of countless people and using human-animal fusion to modify the human body. What is his true purpose?

With this in mind, Ryuka didn't linger any longer and decisively took a step to quietly follow Mayocles, who was carrying the wooden box away.

Before leaving, he glanced back subconsciously and caught a very unusual scene.

After the surgery, Ada did not show the same consideration for her exhausted father as before, nor did she show the slightest concern.

She swiftly and skillfully tidied up the operating table and gently wheeled the patient, who had calmed down, out of the room. The whole process was decisive and indifferent, without a trace of emotion.

But in that fleeting moment when no one was paying attention, a faint blush appeared on her usually cold, numb, and expressionless face.

Her slender fingertips trembled slightly and tensed, her legs unconsciously tightened inward, and her whole body exuded an indescribable, strange tremor, completely different from her usual indifference.

Liu Xia's pupils contracted slightly, and an absurd guess instantly rose in her mind.

Could it be that this girl derived some kind of twisted satisfaction from this gruesome, cruel, and bloody experiment?

"Old perverts, young perverts, male perverts, female perverts, this Chosen Ones organization really is a den of perverts..."

Ryuka couldn't help but silently complain to herself.

He believed he had witnessed countless strange people and events along the way, and his mind was far beyond that of ordinary people, but what he saw today still refreshed his understanding of the limits.

Indeed, there are always people more capable than you, and there is always something beyond your understanding. Beneath the darkness, there is always an even more twisted darkness.

At the end of the corridor ahead, Mayocles stood still. He raised his hand and condensed a wisp of magic, remotely activating a hidden mechanism in the wall. The thick stone wall quietly cracked open, revealing a perfectly concealed magical elevator inside.