The doctor dreamed of a perfect human.
He hoped for a humanity that would grow endlessly, unbound by the limitations of the human race.
One of humanity's instincts—appetite. Based on that, the doctor's masterpiece was a lifeform that could absorb key traits by consuming other beings. Whether demi-human or human, it made no difference.
So the doctor fed him those who had awakened their aura, made him eat troll meat daily. If necessary, he even killed his own subordinates to use as feed. Of course, mages were included. Though they possessed magic power, they were useless if they didn't understand how to use magic.
After hundreds, thousands of experiments and countless sacrifices, one human was created.
A new kind of humanity—one that awakened aura without training, one that possessed power humans were never meant to have. A being that would soon destroy the old humanity, and usher in a new age of humans, untouchable by any other race.
All that remained now was time.
And yet—
"Kugh…!"
The human, whose chest had caved in, let out a painful groan.
The area was a complete mess. Standing at the center of the wreckage, Verden clenched his fist, and the ground rose up, piercing through the human's arms and legs, locking him down tight.
The doctor, both arms gone, could only watch.
'What kind of magic power is this…!'
Even for a 4th tier, it was abnormal to have dispatched that many failed creations in such a short time, not to mention unleashing dozens of spells just now. A mana burst or at least signs of fatigue should be expected.
But Verden was barely breathing heavily, and still perfectly fine.
This exceeded the doctor's calculations—it defied the very logic of the world.
"Is this the end?"
"Guh…"
The doctor groaned, glancing at the human.
Even with regenerative abilities, stamina couldn't be recovered. And he hadn't eaten anything since coming out of the tank… He would need nutrients to break that restraint.
The doctor's severed arms… They lay there on the floor.
A chance—if there was just one opportunity. If he could kill that mage and escape to the outside world…
Verden lightly scanned the area and asked the doctor,
"Where's the experiment log?"
"..."
Crunch. As the restraints tightened, the human let out a silent scream.
Grinding his teeth, the doctor jerked his chin toward the desk.
"Th-there's a safe underneath."
"Bring it here yourself."
…Opening the safe while barely managing to stop the bleeding from his arms?
But the doctor couldn't even answer—he had to head to the desk. That mad mage's eyes… If anything went wrong, he'd destroy the masterpiece without hesitation.
Well, with the Ark's ideology that opposes Gluttony, it was a life that should never have existed.
'But why is he keeping me alive? If he wants the experiment log, is it information he's after? Even that stubborn Ark has changed, it seems.'
In the past, he would've slaughtered everyone without question.
Thinking back to the old days, the doctor painfully opened the safe. He kicked the bundle of papers on the floor toward Verden.
At the same time, the doctor's body was restrained by magic.
"Guh… Even after cutting off both my arms, you do this? We may be enemies, but don't you think this is going too far?"
"Doesn't seem like something an assassin-sending human should say."
…Fair enough.
Weakened, the doctor hung his head low. It looked like resignation, but beneath that lowered gaze, his eyes were fixed on the opportunity scattered across the floor.
'He won't be able to kill me after seeing that.'
As a mage, no—anyone with a brain would recognize the value of that supreme research. Since he showed interest, not even the Ark would be able to discard it so easily.
To extract information from the creator, they'd try everything—coercion, persuasion, torture.
But whatever happens, they won't be able to kill him. That, he was sure of.
As long as he lived, the opportunity would come.
That belief was what had carried the doctor to this point.
***
Rustle. Rustle.
Verden's eyes rapidly scanned the experiment log. It wasn't about magic, and many terms and concepts were incomprehensible, but he could roughly understand what kind of experiment the doctor had been conducting.
'He really was insane.'
Altering the human body structure artificially.
Especially the idea of absorbing traits by consuming other lifeforms—how had he even come up with that? Just how much blood had soaked into the bundle of papers in his hand?
Verden looked toward the human.
He was struggling to heal and break free, but clearly weaker than when first restrained.
'A human, yet not a human.'
The word written at the front of the experiment log—New Humanity.
What exactly is the Ark, what is this Gluttony the doctor belongs to, and why are they trying to create a new species of human?
What was certain was that if this experiment log detailing the horrific process ever made it outside, it wouldn't end with just a minor stir.
Humans who evolve by devouring each other… Verden concluded his thoughts.
He gathered the doctor and the human in one place, then threw the experiment log between them. The doctor looked at Verden with a puzzled expression.
"What are you doing right now?"
"I don't need it anymore."
What was here must never reach the outside world. If it fell into the hands of those in power, an unthinkable number of humans might be treated as test subjects.
Not because of some lofty ideal like preserving world peace… It was just that the doctor's experiments didn't align with Verden's beliefs. There was no reason to acquire them, and he didn't want them.
Still, he did want to know more about the Ark and Gluttony… But someone was now approaching this place. Probably the knight he came with.
'It's unfortunate, but it can't be helped.'
Time to dispose of it all.
"W-wait. You're not planning to kill me, are you? Along with all the research I left behind? You… you read that and didn't feel anything?!"
"It was innovative, I'll admit."
Human experimentation more advanced than even the Magic Tower. And the creation of a being called New Humanity.
Despite its grotesque cruelty, the biological research was undeniably of global value. Anyone with the slightest interest in research would crave it.
But Verden wasn't "anyone."
He had lived for years as a mage, a test subject of human experimentation.
Experiments that tore open the bodies of over a hundred people alive to use them as material. No matter what value the doctor's research held—it didn't matter.
The staff turned toward the doctor.
"N-no! Stop! Stop it!"
The doctor's desperate cry toward the experiment log and the human.
On Verden's face, staring back at him, was nothing but overwhelming disgust.
"Disappear."
Flames surged, and even the screams left behind by the doctor and the human were consumed by the fire.
Until the very end, the doctor never realized Verden wasn't a member of the Ark, vanishing within his own delusion.
***
"Damn it, that assassin bastard…"
Vice-Captain Jason pressed against the wall, stumbling forward.
Blood dripped from wounds on his arms and legs. The most serious was a stab to his left abdomen. He had stuffed torn pieces of cloth into the gap of his pierced armor.
'Just my luck to get caught up in this mess.'
Is this why people say not to get involved with crazy mages?
But right now, that mage was Jason's only lifeline. While he wouldn't die from blood loss alone, the city was too far. The idea of enduring the pain all the way there was unbearable.
He desperately needed the mage's help if he wanted to rest comfortably.
"Still, he's not dead… right?"
Jason arrived at the chamber where the failed creations had been confined. All around were scorched corpses of demi-humans, and under a pile of stones, something that looked like a troll's leg.
He couldn't begin to imagine what had happened here.
Judging by the traces that looked like magic, it seemed the mage had made it out alive… Jason picked up his pace, mustering strength.
A few moments later, an explosion sounded from deeper within. When he hurried over, he found Verden gazing into roaring flames.
"Y-you're safe."
"Yes. But that wound…"
"Ah, well… Ahem, but I did land a clean blow to his side. For me, the Vice-Captain of Martes, to end up this injured… just imagine what state he's in."
A roundabout way of saying he let him get away.
It would've been nice to capture him, but the more important doctor had been dealt with, so he would have to settle for that. Whether this accidental, ill-fated connection would end here remained to be seen.
Verden pulled out the final pages of the experiment log, secretly torn out just before the disposal.
They contained the doctor's plan for a large-scale disaster in Martes. If edited properly to remove any sensitive parts and handed over to the mayor—what then?
Regardless of the process, he had prevented the city's near destruction. A reward would certainly follow.
Thunk.
Just then, a folded piece of paper fell from between the pages of the plan.
"…?"
He carefully unfolded it. It was a map of a specific area in miniature.
Seeing that a spot resembling Pythe's territory was marked near the map's edge, it seemed to be of the area surrounding Martes. In a nearby forest, a red checkmark had been drawn.
He couldn't yet guess what it meant.
'I'll think about it later.'
It wasn't urgent right now.
From the Orc Warrior to rescuing the adventurer in the cave, and now this. Quite a dense stretch of time, all within a short span.
Dragging his tired body, Verden headed back to the city with Jason.
***
Several days passed, and the aftermath of the commotion in Martes settled as if nothing had happened.
Of course, not for the mayor and the upper city officials.
Because of the hidden, unidentified space beneath the city and the underground passage leading outside, a state of emergency was declared. Knights and soldiers were summoned for a search, and guards were posted at the passage entrance for strict control.
They planned to bury the entire underground tunnel after the search, apparently—but whatever the method, Verden had no reason to care.
In his newly rented inn room,
At its center, magic power swirled silently.
"Phew…"
As Verden exhaled deeply, the mana that had filled his circuits dispersed. He wiped off his sweat with a dry towel, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
'Everything is going smoothly.'
Mid 3rd tier elemental magic—that was Verden's current level.
Thanks to the mana circuit booster, growth that would normally take years had been compressed into just a few weeks. In return, he had to endure torture-level pain, but Verden's resolve had never faltered.
His chest was filled with a sense of accomplishment.
Snap! He flicked his fingers. The leftover mana circuit booster, container and all, ignited into flames.
It was a shame, considering how rare the materials were, but mid-3rd tier was the limit this drug could expand mana circuits to. Beyond this, even drinking it by the liter would have no effect.
'Selling it isn't an option either.'
It wasn't a commercially available item to begin with.
During clinical trials at the Magic Tower of Bohemirn, all participating mages had collapsed foaming at the mouth, rendering it worthless as a product. The cost of materials had been staggering, even for the Magic Tower.
Moreover, once they confirmed its effect capped at the 3rd tier, they gave up on improvement and discarded it completely.
Releasing something like that blindly into the world would be sheer idiocy, even in a principality far from the Magic Tower.
'Anyway, the first step went well.'
Mid 3rd-tier elemental magic, vast magic power, and now, real combat experience.
As a mage, Verden had undeniably grown stronger—at an exceptional rate. But this explosive growth wasn't over yet. He hadn't even touched the items taken from the Magic Tower's treasure vault.
Though some preparation was needed, he had enough money. Taking the next step was only a matter of time.
"But before that…"
Verden's gaze shifted to the map he had taken from the doctor.