He was imprisoned in Nibelungen for a thousand years, only to find out upon his release that he was

The broadsword was clearly something he had collected from elsewhere and reforged; it had absolutely nothing to do with the horse-slaying sword used to assassinate Odin.

After all, it had clashed head-on with the Eternal Spear at a high intensity, so the damage to the Zhanmadao was obviously no less than that to the Hengdao. As for the outcome, it could be considered a 'heroic sacrifice,' contributing to the great cause of slaying the dragon.

Lu Ming pointed to several conspicuous nicks and cracks on the horizontal sword and said, "Odin's lackeys are getting better and better equipped. This can't go on."

Although we can stick to our usual, rather low-level approach:

The saying goes, "If we don't have guns or cannons, the enemy will make them for us!" We simply picked up Odin's weapons and used them, while continuously observing, learning, and improving our alchemy skills.

But Lu Ming, recalling Odin's strange behavior earlier that day, suspected that the other side was still plotting something malicious—

For example, Odin might mislead the enemy by using the existing level of weaponry, and then suddenly upgrade to the latest generation of weapons with overwhelming superior performance in the next engagement.

For example, no other living people have appeared in Nibelungen for decades, but Odin has suddenly brought in two these days. Could it be that he wants to increase his number of subordinates?

Lu Ming wondered, wouldn't that put him at a huge disadvantage?

Thinking about it carefully, if you extrapolate that scenario, it becomes a complete annihilation of Odin's equipment and technology, his manpower and military strength, and his overall power...

Holy crap! The thought of this made Lu Ming feel terrible. His fingertips trembled, his nerves were on edge, and cold sweat trickled down his neck.

He won't be able to get a good night's sleep unless he improves his alchemy skills or something else today!

"In short... I need more systematic knowledge of alchemy! This is the most prominent and urgent need at present!"

Lu Ming clenched his fist and pounded his hand as he spoke.

He ultimately leaned towards studying alchemy. Since his Word of Power was the Commandment, the fact that he could barely avoid being instantly killed by Odin in his Berserk state indicated that his bloodline was not low.

Could he be a natural-born alchemical genius, like the Night's Watch?

"As for alchemy, I can teach you!"

Ishtar tossed her hair, stepped forward confidently, and said as if she had planned it all along.

In the Type-Moon universe, alchemy is considered a prominent field of magic, with a wide range of applications, and related props and products are in high demand.

The Einzbern doll that Ishtar possessed, although her family was more proficient in alchemical doll making, was by no means lacking in basic knowledge. They were even more than capable of serving as senior lecturers at the Clock Tower, guiding the scions of old families like Mujik.

In her view, Lu Ming's demand for basic knowledge clearly indicated that he was a complete novice.

You think you know more about alchemy than I do?

Book 1: Chapter 5 Stop! This isn't alchemy!

As soon as Ishtar finished speaking, alarm bells rang in Ereshkigal's mind—something's wrong!

If she didn't do something quickly, she might no longer be Lu Ming's only best partner. More importantly, Ishtar would never miss any opportunity to snatch something precious from her!

"I..." He was about to speak, but the goddess of the underworld suddenly fell silent.

Her possessor, Rin Tohsaka, is an extremely talented magician and one of the five elemental users.

However, they were not experts in alchemy, and at least they were not qualified to be compared with the famous Einzbern family, a renowned alchemical family with a thousand-year history.

Faced with Lu Ming's demands, she could do nothing but grit her teeth and watch helplessly as Ishtar interfered.

The incompetent goddess of the underworld.

Lu Ming glanced at her in surprise. He had thought that Ai Lei, who could set up a safe house with effects comparable to the alchemy matrix of Kassel College, was a true alchemy master.

There were still experts out there?

Ereshkigal's silence at this moment undoubtedly confirms the truth of Ishtar's statement.

So that's how it is. I thought Ishtar was completely useless, but I didn't expect her to have such a wonderful use. Did I misjudge her before?

Today's outcome—

Aileen's defeat.

Ishtar has temporarily transformed from a useless goddess into a "temporary alchemy teacher".

As for whether he can be promoted to a permanent position, that's another matter.

……

"First of all, alchemy is a technique about 'the transformation of matter,' with a long history, and it is closely related to the earlier metal smelting and the theory of elements..."

"Early theories repeatedly described the process of sublimating 'low metals' into 'precious metals,' and this sublimation technique can be seen as a fundamental aspect of alchemy's transformation of matter..."

Ishtar spoke confidently and eloquently, revealing all the knowledge of the original owner of the body, Filia Einzbern.

It doesn't care whether the host, Felia, agrees or not.

Anything a goddess desires and can use belongs to her! And that is Ishtar!

As for Lu Ming, he rested his head on his hands the whole time, lost in thought.

Well, it's not that I don't understand.

Instead, it feels like... alchemy doesn't seem that difficult?

At least, it's much easier than Odin's eternal spear, which he has been trying to figure out for decades.

He understood the basics of alchemy after listening to it once, and even started to daydream, lost in his own thoughts, because he found Ishtar's pace too slow...

He actually knew something similar about the refining and sublimation of matter. The Kassel College in the novel "Dragon Raja" described it as "killing the metal and regenerating it" to obtain a new material with superior performance and power, that is, regenerated metal.

Combined with the experience and insights Lu Ming gained over the past few decades by haphazardly carving dragon patterns on weapons, and his analysis of alchemy in "Dragon Raja".

Those scattered, pieced-together, and unsystematic fragments of memory are now gradually coming together, as if piecing together a perfect framework.

Suddenly, a sense of clarity and enlightenment shot straight from my head to the top of my head!

Lu Ming felt that he had attained enlightenment in Longchang.

“Ishtar, stop right now, I have a bold idea.”

"what?"

The white-haired goddess then snapped out of her reverie.

She wasn't actually interested in teaching itself, but she thoroughly enjoyed watching the gloomy woman's powerless and helpless expression during class.

It was so much fun!

"Can alchemy be applied to the human body? I mean, like creating alchemical tools, can the human body also be considered a tool and transformed?"

Lu Ming raised his hand and spoke.

The first thing that came to his mind at that moment was the "Nibelungen Project" led by Master Flamme, the Night Watchman, in the original "Dragon Raja" novel.

—Since we agreed to benchmark against this alchemical legend, he can't afford to miss any of the same features.

The "Nibelungen Project" does not refer to creating a Nibelungen world like Odin's.

Instead, they strengthen the bloodline of hybrids by implanting micro-alchemy matrices and precious ingredients into their bodies. The goal of Kassel College in doing so is naturally to create a super hybrid capable of fighting against the Dragon King.

In the original Dragon Raja novel, Lu Mingfei participated in this plan after the events of Dragon Raja 3...

However, even at the start of the fourth game, he only reached the level of an A-grade hybrid.

Lu Ming felt that his performance as an ordinary transmigrator was at least better than that of the useless protagonist.

If the Nibelungen Plan were applied to him, his potential for advancement would be far greater than what he initially thought.

"...Indeed! Moreover, alchemy involving human transmutation is a major teaching content that will be emphasized in the later stages." After all, the Einzbern family itself is a huge alchemical puppet workshop.

Their main business is using alchemical techniques to modify and alter dolls of various sizes. They can even go to extremes, filling every part of the body with magic circuits. Without this ability, they couldn't create humanoid miniature Grail suitable for the Holy Grail War.

It can be described as a perfect match for one's major.

However, Ishtar paused for a moment after she finished speaking.

Even if he's a genius, isn't Lu Ming's speed of applying what he's learned to other situations a bit too fast?

She's only been talking for ten minutes!

However, the next second, Ishtar deeply realized that Lu Ming's level was far more than just being able to draw inferences from one instance; he was practically a superman with maximum action.

He actually started doing it to himself!

Following the basic alchemical techniques just taught to him—his movements as practiced as a barefoot doctor who had peddled medicine for decades—Lu Ming calmly extended his merciless iron hand, making incisions along his blood vessels and nerves, guiding the elements to flow in a regular pattern of convergence and dispersal to begin the alchemical process…

Wait, are you using alchemical methods to modify your magic circuits? Is this some kind of attempt to artificially increase the number of magic circuits?

No wonder they asked her if she could do human transmutation.

Ishtar seems to have figured it out a bit.

But I had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

According to what she learned from her host Felia's memories about the current state of the magic world, magicians' talents are fixed from the moment they are born. In other words, the quantity and quality of magic circuits in their bodies determine a magician's personal limit.

This thing isn't something you can just break easily; otherwise, the Mage's Association's Clock Tower wouldn't have a bloodline hierarchy.

The long-standing tradition of marriage and eugenics among the descendants of a prestigious family with a history spanning thousands of years increases the likelihood of offspring possessing exceptional magical circuits and extraordinary talents.

Commoners who have only been in the family for a few generations are generally considered to be only fit for menial tasks, because they are often mediocre and lack talent, and even if resources are invested in them, it is difficult for them to get ahead.

"Lu Ming, wait a minute. You need to understand that talent is determined by birth, and bloodline improvement normally requires generations of accumulation—"

This is not about modifying artificial life forms or alchemical dolls. Dolls have a lifespan and limited specializations, so they can naturally be modified by piling up resources and materials.

But living people are mortal beings, and to use such techniques on them in a crude manner would be extremely dangerous. Not only would the techniques be completely incompatible, but in an instant, one would be crippled, which would be the least of one's worries.

When she tried to offer a few simple words of advice, Lu Ming, bleeding profusely, wore a disdainful expression.

"Superior bloodline? Predestined talent? Hmph, haven't you heard that man can conquer nature?"

Speechless. I can't continue talking to you. You have the typical conservative, old-fashioned mindset.

How could he not know the true nature of the dragon-slaying families in the Dragon Clan world?

Having a large number of high-quality mixed-race individuals is merely a way to maintain the prestige of their lineage through breeding, clinging to the glory of their ancestors and enjoying the surplus resources.

"Looking at all the powerful and wealthy families in the world, all the nobles and high-ranking officials, I see them all as corrupt and mediocre! I have nothing to fear from Heaven, nothing to follow from ancestors, and nothing to heed from public opinion! My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens!"

"Have you thought this through? Even if you have strong regenerative abilities, you might still end up losing everything. If we waste time without making any progress, how can we contend with Odin?"

"It's simple, I'll just become a Venerable One, won't I?"

Having said that, Lu Ming's aura was no longer concealed and was revealed! Nine hundred alchemical circuits!

Volume 1: Chapter 6 Is he really a genius?

No? He actually managed to get it done?

Ishtar was astonished and stared intently at the hundreds of artificial circuits constructed through alchemy on Lu Ming's body.

One can sense that a vast amount of magical power is slowly flowing and converging. Although it is in the form of a newly formed magic circuit, it flows smoothly as if it were a natural creation.

Is that correct?

Are you sure you're still a beginner? Are you sure this was really your first time listening to an alchemy course?

"Na?ve! Actually, I hid a little trick in here."

Lu Ming shook his finger, nonchalantly scratching his nails to peel back the almost completely healed wound, revealing a patch of abnormally glistening blood vessels.

The bright red tissue structure, which should be part of the human circulatory system, has now been transformed into a channel for transporting a torrent of energy.

"I see."

Ishtar suddenly realized.

So that's how it is. It starts from the capillaries and works its way up from the extremities to create an artificial, simulated circuit?

That makes sense. Natural magic circuits are very similar to the human body's blood vessels and nervous system. So when implanting them artificially, wouldn't it be more efficient to modify them in this way?

Coincidentally, the Einzbern family also had similar research plans on record.

Whether Lu Ming's operation was normal or not is debatable for now, but at least the direction was correct.

Is he really a genius?

"puff!"

Lu Ming suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

At the same time, the blood vessels that had just been gracefully transmitting magic burst from the inside out, and the scarlet color penetrated the epidermis through the gaps in the muscles and sprayed outwards.

In an instant, he was like a blood-soaked figure, exuding a sweet and pungent fragrance that would make vampires drool, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of blood.

Ah! My blood is flowing everywhere!

"It seems that the alchemical structure on the blood vessels still needs to be optimized, and the matrix parameters and detailed architecture need to be adjusted."