Book 4: Chapter 45: A Brewing Storm III

Book 4: Chapter 45: A Brewing Storm III

You look like shit.

Zeke didnt know if it was the unexpected words or the sound of his voice that did it, but Ripper flinched. Slowly, ever so slowly, her eyes regained some clarity. She tilted her head to the side, her gaze searching his.

Zeke showed her a calm smile, waving at the young woman. It is good to see you.

Ripper remained silent, but her gaze traveled from his face to his missing arm, where it lingered for a while. You too, she eventually said.

Zeke smirked. I had a run-in with the young master of the Firebrand family.

Ripper nodded slowly. Can it be healed?

It will need some work, but yes.

Ripper smiled slightly. Despite her situation, it seemed she was still able to feel happy for him. Zeke checked her body but didnt find anything outwardly wrong with her.

What about you? he asked.

Ripper slowly shook her head. There is no hope. The healers managed to close the wounds, but the fragments stuck in my spine are still there. I cant move my lower body at all.

Zeke frowned. How low are we talking?

Anything beneath my chest.

Zekes frown deepened. This was even more severe than he had expected. What are you going to do now?

There is nothing I can do but wait for the Masters decision, she said in a lifeless voice.

Is there a chance he is going to keep you?

Ripper averted her eyes. I dont think so. If Im lucky, hell sell me to a brothel. If not

Zeke knew that it was a horrible thing to ask, but he really wanted to know what could be worse than that. If not?

Ripper glanced at him. hell sell me to the meat vendors.

Zekes eyes widened. Ripper had the body of a human. The thought of turning her into food was something completely out of his expectations. Were the people in this city all cannibals?

Seemingly guessing his thoughts, Ripper answered the unasked question. It is not something the surface dwellers would be fed. But here in the undercity, many dont have a choice.

Zeke nodded slowly. He had known that the conditions in the undercity were much worse than on the surface, but not to such an extent. The books he had read had merely referred to this area as the place where most of the slaves lived. It now seemed reality was quite a bit harsher than that.

No wonder Ripper had seemed so content with her life as a fighter, even with the constant abuse. It must have been like heaven compared to the conditions she had grown up in.

This gave Zeke an idea. I might be able to help you get back to your family.

However, to Zekes utter astonishment, Ripper immediately turned him down. Please dont do that.

Havent you been sending them money all this time? Surely, they wouldnt turn you away.

They would not, Ripper agreed. She didnt say anything more, but Zeke understood. In her current condition, she would be nothing but a burden to her family. And without the hope of recovery, she would remain as such for the rest of her life.

Zeke couldnt help but sigh. It was a selfless gesture, but it tore at his heartstrings to see the once proud warrior reduced to such a state. No wonder there was no life left in her eyes. She had already resolved herself to die.

Is there anything we can do, Akasha?

[Answer]

The difficulty level is high. Numerous splinters are deeply embedded, predominantly concentrated in the spinal region. The core issue arises from the material compositionVoidironintroducing a heightened complexity to the situation.

What if we found a way around that restriction?

[Answer]

Operational challenges persist. The subject's physiological response indicates a rejection of our magical intervention, thereby limiting the extent of my operational capabilities.

The Marrow-Shackle truly was a devious weapon, leaving behind such injuries. On top of that, the body of a Mage naturally repelled most forms of magic, making it impossible to remove them using Mana. Even Metal Mages were useless in this case since Voidiron was the least Mana conductive of all metals.

Zeke had to hand it to the dwarfs; their fame wasnt for nothing, and they were true masters of their craft.

But so was he. Impossible to heal? That sounded like a challenge. If the dwarfs had designed their weapon to leave behind incurable wounds, then he just had to find a way to cure the incurable. Zeke wasnt afraid of going head to head with the continent's greatest craftsman in a battle of wits.

A fire of determination lit deep within Zekes eyes. Can I take a look?

Ripper, who had turned on her stomach, locked eyes with him. Her once-lifeless gaze seemed to have regained a fleeting spark. What for?

A moment later, Kaaria came back with a small vial filled with blue liquid. Will this do? Its Dreamweaver Elixir.

Zeke nodded. Dreamweaver Elixir was strong enough to work on Grand Mages. It would undoubtedly work on Ripper. He met her emerald green eyes with a calm look and held out the small vial for her to take. Do you trust me?

Ripper hesitated for a moment, but soon, a look of determination crossed her face. Does it matter? I have nothing to lose anyway.

Zeke pouted. It would have been much better if you just said yes.

I have never been one to lie, Ripper joked, a bit of cheer returning to her voice. She opened the vial and brought it to her lips, but before she drank it, she hesitated. Thank you she said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

You should save your thanks for after I have actually cured you.

Even if you fail, I will still be grateful.

Zeke didnt know how to respond, so he merely nodded. Without any further delay, Ripper drank the content of the vial and drifted off to sleep. While all that happened, Zeke explained his plan to Akasha. The spirit was hesitant at first, but her worry eased as she listened further.

[Notice]

Based on my analysis, the probability of success for your plan is approximately 78%. Further optimization could be achieved by conducting preliminary trials on an alternative subject, potentially resulting in an even higher success rate.

Zeke nodded. He was aware of that as well. Nonetheless, we are trying it on her first.

[Question]

Isnt the individual called Ripper the most important to Host? I do not understand the necessity for the increased risk.

Zeke sighed. He would also be more comfortable trying his idea on somebody else first. However I dont think she would appreciate it if we did that.

[Notice]

Her consent is not necessary.

Zeke chuckled. You are right. However, if you care for somebody, it is always a good idea to take their feelings into consideration.

Akasha didnt respond, surprising Zeke a little bit. However, now wasnt the time to brood over that. He bit his finger, causing a drop of blood to emerge. Are you ready?

[Answer]

I am ready.

Zeke focused his mind, concentrating on casting the most complicated spell he knew. Simultaneously, Akasha did her part, creating the Spellform that was far too complex for any human to form.

[Blood Manifestation].

The blood that rushed out of his finger formed a thin thread. This was the form Akasha had decided to take for this delicate operation. The magical construct moved like a snake, very much alive. It slithered along Rippers neck and found her spine. With surgical precision, it made a small incision and entered her body.

Kaaria gasped, both awed and horrified by the display in front of her. However, she soon got used to the display, as nothing else seemed to happen. Even Zeke seemed to be frozen in time, as unmoving as a statue. Not even his expression changed as he seemed wholly focused on a task nobody else could even perceive.

It was at that moment that the door of the room was violently pushed open, drawing everybody's attention. There stood Ravi Desai, master of the Lions Den. His neat and tidy appearance was nowhere to be seen now, and his eyes were bloodshot as he scanned everyone present with unusual intensity. Soon, his gaze locked onto Zeke.

A moment later, he appeared next to the entranced boy. He had advanced so fast that nobody could even follow his movements, effortlessly proving the strength of an Arch Mage. However, now he hesitated. He was strangely hesitant to interrupt Zeke during this delicate moment. His hand rose and fell a couple of times before he decided to stay put and watch instead.

Silence returned to the room. Nobody dared to even breathe too loudly for fear of disturbing Zeke, destroying the bit of hope everyone collectively shared. In this uncomfortable atmosphere, time crawled on. Just as everyones nerves had reached a breaking point, the thin red thread retracted from Rippers body and returned to Zekes hand.

Zeke opened his eyes, his expression giving nothing away. He scanned everyone present before his gaze settled on the single Life Mage present. Heal her, Zeke commanded, and the man immediately obliged. Nobody, not even Ravi, dared to object at that moment.

A warm current of energy streamed from the mans hand and entered Rippers body. The small incision on her neck closed in an instant, and it didnt take long to restore the rest of the damage done by the operation. However, that wasnt the reason Zeke had wanted her to be healed.

The very moment the healer retracted his hands, Rippers eyelids fluttered. It was no problem for a Life Mage to remove poison or sedatives from a patients body. And so they could witness the effects of the operation right away.

Slowly, her emerald eyes opened, finding Zekes gaze. I am still alive she stated.

Zeke nodded, a smile finally making its way onto his face. He stood and extended his hand. Tentatively, Ripper reached out. At this moment, she seemed more anxious than he had ever seen her. However, his confident expression gave her the courage to continue.

The moment their fingers touched, Zeke immediately pulled her up. Ripper, not having expected such a reaction at all, let out an uncharacteristically high-pitched scream as she landed in Zekes arms.

What are you doing!?

However, she soon noticed the strange atmosphere. To her surprise, she saw that everyone was looking in the same direction. Following their gazes, Ripper looked down and found her legs which she was standing on.

Tears came to her eyes when the Chimeroi finally realized that she was standing all on her own.

This Ravi said in a voice filled with disbelief. How is this possible?

Zeke smiled and extended his hand. On his palm was a ball the size of a marble that was encased in a red shell. The moment he fully opened his hand, the marble fell apart. The seemingly perfect sphere turned into dozens of tiny black splinters.

It was a bit of a hassle to get them all, Zeke explained in a voice that was smug and tired in equal measure. However, his expression turned serious in the next moment. It is good that you are here, Ravi. We have a lot to talk about.