Bear School Astartes

The truly deadly symptoms are those described by Belengar.

Days of unrelenting high fever, nerve-distorting hysteria, hallucinations, and extensive internal bleeding, vomiting caused by organ and intestinal damage...

The intense internal changes in the body involve the entire physiological system’s stability issue; if the system collapses like dominoes, it can’t be salvaged.

It’s often at this time that the high mortality rate of the Cyan Grass Trial occurs.

The Warlock’s stability spell mainly provides magic support during this critical period.

However, with the current batch of mutation receptors... Belengar was astonished, and Triss felt as if she hadn’t been working at all!

So far, five people have undergone mutation, and as per the Old Demon Hunter’s words, her stability spell needs to be sustained for a while. The key isn’t in the spell’s effect but in the long-term maintenance.

Yet now, in more than a week’s time, she’s only used the stability spell five times for adjustment purposes, hardly qualifying as ’life-saving insurance.’

It makes her wonder if the Warlocks in Ker Morhan were just awkward before, making it seem like this effortless spell was something precious.

But on second thought, it was the Great Mage Alzur and his teacher Cosimo Malaspina who worked together, pulling sponsors to form the research team.

Thus Triss understands that the critical point of difference between mutations probably lies in the potion.

The Big Appetite Energy provides stability support to the physiological system beyond expectations.

And speaking of vomiting... after drinking Big Appetite Energy, unless you immediately gag yourself, it’s rare for one to throw up.

So, ever since Stuart managed through the most dangerous period in less than a day, what’s left is just the body’s soreness during the intense transformation.

Belengar breathed a heavy sigh of relief, and Triss no longer felt tense.

Followed by four more mutation receptors exhibiting a mutation process similar to Stuart’s. This allowed everyone to be truly relieved.

The door opens, and Lann and Lincoln enter the room.

The smell in the room is quite unpleasant.

Considering they’ve been bound to the restraint bed for over a week during the mutation process, eating, drinking, relieving, and sweating due to pain.

Though cleaned multiple times promptly, the accumulated air wasn’t pleasant because they dared not let the mutation receptors be exposed to the wind.

After entering, Lann checked each of them by the side of the restraint bed.

Checking their physical state to confirm the mutation is proceeding steadily.

Despite being tortured for a long time by intense pain that contorted and tightened their muscles, faces, and skin, they still firmly clenched their teeth and nodded in greeting to Lann.

The horror of the Cyan Grass Trial lies in the fact that aside from the most dangerous moments of nerve hysteria and hallucinations, the mutation receptor stays conscious.

They’re tortured by the toxic potion to the point of fainting, awakening again from the pain, repeatedly completing the entire process.

After checking everyone else, Lann finally went to Stuart’s restraint bed, who was the most calm.

His face still distorted and flawed; the Cyan Grass Trial altered his disabled body of two years, yet couldn’t regenerate the missing chunks of flesh and bone on his jaw.

But as long as the disability disappears and his mobility improves to the level of others in the Knight Order, his mental block can be released. Whenever he wants, he can go to Airetusa to use crystal cultivation technology to fill in the missing jaw.

”Looks like you’re in good shape?”

Like a doctor making rounds, Lann greeted Stuart in a relaxed tone.

While talking, he also gently pinched Stuart’s arm and thigh muscles.

”Hmm, the muscles have softened, are regaining elasticity, certainly regaining motion capabilities.”

If one’s willpower is remarkably strong, or due to a mishap, if a person’s muscles swell for hours without relief, that hand won’t recover its strength within a month.

If prolonged further, the entire arm’s muscle may even die.

A week of the entire body having pain-induced muscle tension, recovering to this state in two days, it’s owing to Belengar offering Stuart a regular Swallow potion post-mutation.

After mutation completion, when Stuart’s body had residual neurogenic pain, Lann had to be careful not to snap his stiffened limbs.

At that time, Stuart’s body felt not much different from a stiffened corpse.

The Old Demon Hunter dared not feed him more, fearing that his body’s mutation wasn’t stable enough to withstand the Demon Hunter’s potion toxicity.

When drinking the magic potion that even novice Demon Hunters feel like vomiting, Stuart was eager to savor it like a delicacy.

He began to enjoy the taste of alchemical potion, as if the Water Ghost brain components in the Swallow potion weren’t bringing a gooey, fishy taste... but symbolizing resurgence and newly gained life force.

Just as the symbolism of Swallow potion, he indeed found new life.

Stuart’s eyes transformed into amber cat-like ones, turned towards the overlooking Lann, calm and steady.

No longer gloomy, nor self-deprecating nor self-destructive.

The agony of mutation honed him, returning him to the peak, or even surpassing peak physical ability, rescuing his spirit.

”Ha.” After feeling Stuart’s muscle and observing his eyes, Lann chuckled softly, ”Alright, he indeed can get out of bed now.”

Lincoln immediately stepped forward and took out a key to unlock the handcuffs and shackles on the restraint bed.

Struggling, Stuart managed to sit up, under the worried gaze of Belengar and Triss and the hopeful eyes of Lincoln.

The first thing he did was not stand on the ground, but rather he raised his left hand and placed it before his eyes.

With a ”poof,” there was the sound of a small explosive combustion in the air, a tiny spark flickered momentarily at Stuart’s fingertip.

[Igni Rune]... although not enough to even light a candle.

Yet someone who has had no connection with Chaos Magic Power since birth, had sparks erupt from his fingers.

Without a doubt, this was proof his body had begun to spontaneously generate Chaos Magic Power!

Beside him, Lincoln was unraveling chains with a clatter, his eyes paused at the sight of that tiny spark. The Ember Knights on the other four restraint beds also turned their necks with bulging veins to watch Stuart lifting his hand.

”We did it.” Stuart uttered in a dry and blurred voice.

”We did it!” Lincoln joyfully embraced Stuart, who had sat up, and shouted loudly to the Ember Knights who hadn’t completed their mutation.

While Lincoln embraced him, Stuart’s eyes were on Lann.

”Not bad talent.” The young Demon Hunter also looked with interest at his finger releasing a momentary spark, ”Just newly mutated and able to produce sparks like this, I couldn’t do that back then.”

”Because in his dreams and thoughts before,” Stuart spoke with calm nostalgia, ”I had imagined countless times before.”

The Ember Knights had learned the formulas and operation methods of Magic Potions, sword oils, Alchemy Bombs, and of course, knowledge of Magic Seals from Belengar.

But until now, their bodies never possessed Chaos Magic Power, so it was limited to ’know’ only.

Stuart stood on the ground, weak to the point of staggering, but still joyfully experiencing his current body.

The muscular weakness was only temporary; his skeleton no longer suffered severe high-low shoulder due to disability, walking no longer followed with dislocated bones, and the body won’t feel exhausted after a little movement...

The rejuvenated body through mutation had finally freed him from the aftermath of the torment he endured two years ago.

”If it were that easy to progress by just thinking, it would be too easy to make a living in the market.” Lann smiled nonchalantly. ”I’m not flattering you; your talent really is excellent, Stuart. Maybe I should find you a Griffin School member for tutoring?”

”Tutoring can wait, but right now, sir...” Stuart said solemnly as he stood straight, looking up at Lann, ”please give me orders, the matters of Novigrad and Yaden are already urgent, each day increases the risk of losing control.”

”Where should I go? Who do I connect with? Working style? And...”

”Hold on, hold on.” Lann interrupted him, ”Don’t act like a workaholic, Stuart.”

”The situation is urgent, indeed, but if you go over without recovering your body and combat strength, what am I supposed to expect from you? How long has it been since your disability kept you from engaging in direct combat? Also, you need to first go to Airetusa to fix up your face, otherwise, it would be too conspicuous.”

Encouraging him with a smiling face, without avoiding the word ’disability.’

Lann simultaneously pulled out a hooded cloak from his Alchemy Pouch and tossed it directly to Stuart, covering his body clad only in surgical clothes.

”This is...”

Casually touching the fabric, then glimpsing the trademark that ordinary cloaks wouldn’t have, Stuart, who previously handled mostly paperwork and logistical work due to his disability, already knew.

This was the magic cloak recently selling very well in the market, and also their master’s handiwork.

Looks like if they traveled out for work from now on, this would be their standard work attire.

Seeing Stuart lowered his head, gripping the magic cloak in a daze, Lann knew he hadn’t yet come to terms with the fact ’he could already return to the battlefield.’

Subsequently, Lann checked on the status of the remaining four individuals and then walked outside.

At this moment, he should celebrate together with Stuart, but it’s impossible, as the situation is pressing, so many things...

Mulling over thoughts, walking down the corridor of the castle tower, Lann ran directly into Geralt, whose hair was still interlaced with dry leaves.

The White Wolf’s expression was stern, a lifestyle of intermittent investigations during this multi-star period had already brought him back to the work state of a Demon Hunter.

He had previously informed Lann that a significant number of people had secretly moved into this hill, five camps, approximately five hundred people.

Each camp was secretly constructing siege equipment.

But Lann still instructed him not to take action, just observe, and had no intentions to clear the siege equipment yet to be completed.

And now, seeing Geralt rushing back directly to find him, Lann squinted his eyes slightly, already having a notion.

”Just these few days! At most three more days!”

As expected, before reaching Lann, Geralt hurriedly said.

”I’ve seen their progress; everything is just about done, waiting to have the equipment ready and set up! But their camps have no direct route to High Hill Castle; I estimate they’ll have to transport the scattered parts near the castle first and then assemble them.”

”Then they will appear unnoticed on the way, heading here!”

The White Wolf, eager and anxious, that cold and expressionless face was nearly showing emotions.

But Lann, receiving the message, simply turned to call into the mutation hall.

”Lincoln, come to my room. Looks like it’s time.”