Genetic Engineer in a Tamer's World

The morning light struggled to pierce through the dense Tigerwood canopy... casting long, flickering shadows over the mossy path as Kale walked back alone. Every step he took felt incredibly heavy... as if his boots were made of lead... yet his posture remained entirely upright.

His mind was a storm of calculations and residual emotions... the memory of Fabio’s tear-stained face and Leda’s final... terrified scream repeating in a relentless loop. He had deleted them all to protect the secrets of his evolution... an act of pure survival that tasted like copper and ash in his mouth.

He had promised to repay their kindness... but in the end... the cold logic of the Genetic Engineer had overridden the fragile fragments of his humanity. The world of Nergal did not permit the luxury of sentimentality... a lesson he had learned in blood twice over.

Neo rested silently within his shadow... the bond between them quiet and stagnant after the systematic deletion of the Wolfberg mercenary team. The Hydra’s six golden eyes were closed... its thoughts a slow... rhythmic purr of predatory satisfaction as it digested the high-density biological assets it had harvested.

[stabilising host’s cognitive load... mana pathways are returning to a steady equilibrium]

The system’s cold notification flickered briefly across his retina... the clinical text appearing in soft sentence casing before fading back into the dark. Kale ignored it... his gaze fixed entirely on the massive trunk of the Greenroot Guild base appearing through the trees.

Thankfully... it was still bright daytime... and the suffocating pressure of the beast tide had finally begun to recede. The continuous beast horde attacks on the gargantuan tree had more or less ended... leaving only tired guards clearing the outer walkways of shattered shells and broken claws.

The empire’s borders at the time were showing signs of regaining stability... with the imperial reinforcement banners visible in the distance. The dense... chaotic mana of the forest was slowly settling back into its baseline... allowing the defensive forces to draw a collective breath.

Since the threat had passed... it was okay for Kale to leave without causing any administrative issues or drawing unwanted attention. The Cursed Tamer walked straight to the central observation chamber to ask Grandmaster Henry about his departure.

He navigated the spiralling walkways of the massive tree... his boots clicking softly against the polished wood. The other tamers he passed looked battered and weary... their primary beasts bandaged and whimpering after days of relentless combat.

Henry was reviewing the latest logistics scrolls when Kale entered... his expression relaxed but weary from the days of continuous command. He looked up... his eyes narrowing slightly as he noticed the hollow... clinical look in the young boy’s green eyes.

”So... you’re ready to head back to the capital... Kale?” Henry asked... setting his parchment down onto the stone table. ”I suppose your research in the trenches has yielded enough data for your master’s specialised project.”

”Yes... Grandmaster,” Kale replied... his voice flat and devoid of its usual sharp edge. ”Neo’s current status has stabilised... and I require the specialised facilities of the Association’s main branch to begin the next phase.”

Henry nodded in understanding... before tapping his fingers against the table. ”You just missed Echidna and Rando... I’m afraid... they left for the capital at first light to deliver the Guildmaster’s personal report to the Royal Palace.”

”Since they are gone... I’ve ordered Grandmaster David to escort you back to the border city,” Henry added. ”The forest is still somewhat volatile... and David’s Pouncing Leopard will ensure you reach the commerce base without any further incidents.”

Kale gave a respectful half-bow... accepting the arrangement without any argument. He left the observation room... his heart still weighing heavily in his chest as he went to meet the waiting Grandmaster on the lower root-walkways.

Grandmaster David stood beside his massive... dark-green Pouncing Leopard... the beast’s golden eyes tracking Kale’s approach with a low... vibrating growl. David gestured for Kale to climb onto the saddle... his own expression tired but professional.

”Let’s move... kid... the sooner we get you to the teleportation gate... the sooner I can return to my own duties,” David said... leaping onto the Leopard’s back with a fluid grace.

Kale climbed up behind him... his hands gripping the leather straps as the beast launched itself forward into the dense Tigerwood foliage. The forest blurred beside them in a rush of green and shadow... but Kale’s mind was entirely elsewhere... lost in the memories of room 555.

Thankfully... not much happened on the path... as the massive beast’s presence was enough to deter the few feral scavengers that remained. The journey through the ancient trees took place in absolute silence... neither the Grandmaster nor the apprentice spoke a word.

The cool wind whipped against Kale’s face... helping to clear the remaining fog of battle and the heavy scent of copper from his senses. He focused on the steady beat of David’s beast... mapping the terrain subconsciously through his advanced Hexarion senses.

After a few hours of rapid travel... the towering green walls of the Tigerwood Forest began to thin... replaced by the familiar stone structures of the border city. David steered his leopard directly toward the wide gates of the Greenroot Commerce base... bringing the beast to a halt.

”This is as far as I go... kid,” David said... offering a brief nod. ”Your master’s token should grant you immediate access to the central teleportation gateway... try not to get into any more trouble.”

”Thank you... Grandmaster David... for the escort,” Kale said... dropping down to the stone ground with a light... practised landing. He did not waste any time... walking straight past the busy merchants and clattering wagons toward the heavily guarded teleportation zone.

The border city was a chaotic hub of commerce... smelling of wet leather... exotic spices... and the raw... copper tang of beast feed. Kale kept his hood low as he navigated the crowded market... ignoring the shouting vendors who tried to sell him low-grade mana stones.

He showed his crystalline magic token to the guards in full armour... who examined the piece of dark obsidian before stepping aside with respectful nods. The bluish... swirling spatial gateway stood in the centre of the isolated courtyard... its energy humming with a rhythmic... ancient vibration.

Kale stepped into the swirling vortex... his body instantly turning into a cascade of glittering starlight as the physical world bent and twisted around him. He gritted his teeth... enduring the splitting headache and the intense dehydration that always accompanied spatial travel.

The feeling of complete weightlessness was jarring... a sickening drop that made the air roar in his ears as his consciousness seemed to stretch across thousands of miles. He held his breath... focusing on the core of his mana pool to keep the disorientation at bay.

[teleportation process complete... host physical parameters are within normal thresholds]

The system’s voice chimed in his mind... and the disorienting rush of space warping ended as his boots hit the smooth... polished marble of the capital’s teleport gate. He emerged directly into the grand... wall-isolated plaza of Emberheart... the silver light of the city’s shield washing over him.

Kale took a deep breath of the capital’s air... which carried the faint... warm trace of the royal family’s draconic energy. The heavy... stifling moisture of the Tigerwood Forest was gone... replaced by the dry... structured warmth of the civilised world.

The teleportation plaza was as bustling as ever... filled with high-status nobles in expensive silks and certified artificers in gold-trimmed robes. Kale stepped out of the portal’s shadow... his eyes scanning the horizon where the grand... flaming tower of the royal palace rose like a pillar of fire.

He adjusted the grey bandana around his forehead... ensuring that the putrid black soul sigil was completely hidden from the prying eyes of the public. Then... he began his slow... deliberate walk toward the Artificers Association in the southern sector.

But as he moved through the bustling streets... he noticed people’s gazes lingered on him a few seconds longer than usual. His physical appearance had changed too drastically... his height and broad frame making him look like a young adult despite his actual age.

His distinct... light-green eyes and the long strands of matching hair that fell past his ears made him an obvious anomaly in the crowd. He walked with a fluid... predatory grace that commanded attention... his white coat catching the dry wind.

The commoners and low-rank apprentices skittered out of his path... sensing the cold... oppressive weight of his presence without even realising why. The aura of a dragon slayer was not something that could be easily hidden... even with a master-rank bandana obscuring his mark.

He ignored the curious whispers and the suspicious glares of the passing nobles... keeping his head slightly lowered as he navigated the paved walkways. The memory of the slaughter was still fresh in his mind... a cold fire that kept his analytical side fully operational.

He reached the southern sector within thirty minutes... the massive... rectangular magical tower of the Association rising into the blue sky like a monument of wisdom. The ancient sigils and formations carved into the stone walls glowed with a faint... comforting light.

The air here was cleaner... caked in the soothing scent of dried medicinal herbs... processed mana ores... and the subtle ozone of high-level crafting vats. It was a world built entirely on intellect and creation... a stark contrast to the forest’s brutal savagery.

This became more apparent when he arrived at the Association’s primary gate... showing his crystalline token to the gatekeepers who stood like statues. The guards’ eyes widened slightly upon recognising Master Oberon’s unique mark... and they stepped back to let him pass.

Kale took a few big strides inside the grand... cobblestone courtyard... his eyes scanning the familiar pathways that led toward the Fleshcraft tower. The transition from a battlefield to a place of structured logic brought a sense of relief to his tired mind.

But before he could even take another step toward the Fleshcraft tower... his footsteps came to a sudden... frozen halt. Standing not too far away near the marble fountain was a pale... handsome man dressed in dark grey robes... a rare... genuine smile on his face.

It was... of course... none other than his master... Lazek Oberon... who looked as if he had been waiting there for hours.

”Welcome back... kid...” Lazek said with a low chuckle... ”I must admit... I was beginning to think you had decided to live with the monkeys in the forest permanently.”

Kale let out a long... tired sigh... the heavy weight in his chest easing ever so slightly at the sight of his master’s familiar face. The clinical... cold mask on his face cracked for a brief second... and a small... genuine smile touched his lips.

”I’m back... master...” Kale said softly... his voice finally losing its flat... defensive tone as he walked closer to the man. ”The research is complete... and Neo has successfully achieved the necessary stability.”

Lazek’s eyes flashed with an unholy... scientific curiosity as he looked at his disciple... his fingers twitching with the desire to scan the Hydra’s new form. He reached out and patted Kale’s shoulder... the firm... cold pressure acting as a grounding point.

”Excellent... we have great things to do... disciple,” Lazek murmured... his smile turning into a manic grin. ”But first... let’s get you cleaned up... you smell like a wet dog and cheap mercenary liquor.”

Kale laughed... a quiet... weary sound that vanished into the ambient hum of the Association’s magic. The war for his survival was far from over... but for now... he had returned to the only place that felt like home... ready to engineer the next anomaly.