Genetic Engineer in a Tamer's World

The morning sun broke through the heavy, arched windows of the Grand Exhibition Hall, casting golden bars across the floor. The massive hall was constructed from reinforced obsidian to withstand high-level elemental discharges.

Tiered benches rose toward the ceiling, packed with craftsmen, senior apprentices, and influential figures. The ambient noise was a low murmur of anticipation.

Kale Ardentis stood near the platform, adjusting the cuffs of his dark grey robes. The gold trim along the collar signified his status as a certified Master candidate... a remarkable achievement for his age.

He could feel dozens of eyes boring into his back, some curious, others openly sceptical. Among the crowd, imperial observers sat near the front row. Rando sat quietly, his hood lowered, tracking Kale’s movements with a steady, unreadable gaze.

On the high dais sat the panel of examiners. Grandmaster Kraul, dressed in heavy leather, sat with his muscular arms crossed. Beside him was Grandmaster Oram, holding a cup of tea, his pleasant face carrying a polite smile.

Lazek Oberon occupied the seat on the far right, looking terminally bored, his chin resting in his pale hand. Yet, his black eyes carried a focused intensity that promised severe consequences if Kale failed to perform.

Kraul stood up, his booming voice easily slicing through the murmurs. ”Silence,” he commanded, and the hall instantly fell quiet. ”Today, we convene for the Master Artificer examination of Kale Ardentis.

To claim the title of Master, a candidate must prove more than competence in a single discipline. True artistry lies in the harmony of creation. The task today is the Crucible of Integration.”

Oram set his teacup down, taking over the explanation. ”The candidate must construct an auxiliary elemental heart. It requires three components: a stable runic matrix to channel energy, a liquid stabiliser to prevent thermal degradation, and a living tissue graft as the biological anchor.”

”The completed artefact must withstand a concentrated elemental surge without losing structural integrity. You have three hours. Begin.”

The announcement triggered a collective intake of breath from the benches.

The prompt was notoriously difficult, requiring a perfect synthesis of Toolcraft, Pillcraft, and Fleshcraft.

One minor miscalculation in any field would cause a chain reaction, shattering the matrix and reducing the tissue to ash. Most candidates spent months preparing specialised stabilisers to survive.

Kale did not show a hint of hesitation. He walked toward the stone workbench in the centre of the hall, where a wide array of raw materials lay ready. His green eyes scanned the selection, his mind instantly mapping each item’s genetic and physical properties.

He bypassed standard materials, choosing a blank silver-alloy core, a dormant Flame-Salamander heart-graft, and volatile, raw fire-sap.

The crowd whispered in surprise. ”He is using fire-sap?” a senior apprentice muttered. ”That stuff is incredibly volatile. If he fails to regulate the temperature for even a microsecond, the workbench will blow.”

Kale ignored the scepticism, his movements calm. He secured the blank silver-alloy core onto the engraving vice.

Picking up a diamond-tipped carving stylus, he began to etch the mana-conducting arrays. He did not rush, his hand moving with a steady precision developed from hours of practice.

The silver shaved away in delicate ribbons, revealing a complex web of pathways designed to distribute kinetic energy evenly.

Instead of carving rigid lines, Kale utilised his understanding of cellular networks to etch curved, organic channels.

These pathways mirrored the natural blood vessels of high-level beasts, allowing the mana to flow without hitting sudden corners. The silver core hummed softly, absorbing light as the runic matrix was completed.

With the first phase finished, he transitioned to Pillcraft.

He ignited the portable cauldron on his desk, the flame burning with a steady blue light. He poured the volatile fire-sap into the container, the crimson fluid bubbling and emitting a sulfurous odour. The temperature spiked, the air shimmering from the heat.

To prevent the sap from oxidising, Kale added crushed Frost-Lotus petals and dried ash-fern extract.

He did not rely on standard alchemical timers; instead, he used his refined senses to monitor the molecular changes within the boiling fluid. He adjusted the burner with micro-movements, keeping the temperature within a narrow, tight range.

The crimson fluid slowly thickened, turning into a luminescent red gel that carried a concentrated, stabilised fire element. He poured the gel into a syringe, setting it aside.

Now came the critical and dangerous phase... the Fleshcraft integration. Kale retrieved the dormant Flame-Salamander heart-tissue graft from its jar. The flesh was pale and stiff, its cellular pathways locked in metabolic arrest.

He placed the tissue onto the silver-alloy core, aligning the biological vessels with the etched runic channels.

He picked up the glass syringe and carefully injected the fire-sap gel into the tissue graft. The moment the hot elemental gel touched the cold flesh, the cells reacted violently.

The salamander tissue began to spasm, the pale fibres turning a dark, bruised purple as the raw fire mana threatened a complete cascade of rejection. Smoke rose from the edges, the smell of burning organic matter drifting toward the high seats.

The examiners watched with varying expressions. Kraul leaned forward, his brow furrowed, while Oram sighed, expecting the tissue to liquefy. Lazek remained perfectly still, his eyes fixed on his disciple’s hands.

Kale remained composed. He knew physical tools and alchemical stabilisers were not enough to bridge the gap between metal and flesh. He needed a sovereign force to command the cells.

He channelled a highly refined stream of tamer mana into the construct. Within his shadow, Neo compressed his energy, directing a subtle ripple of his absolute taming affinity through the connection.

The response was immediate. Under the silent, commanding pressure of the taming force, the chaotic cellular friction vanished. The rebellious salamander cells ceased their resistance, rapidly absorbing the fire-sap gel and fusing with the runic channels of the silver core.

The dark purple discolouration faded, replaced by a vibrant crimson glow. The tissue wrapped around the metal core, its fibres locking into the carved grooves like biological roots.

Kale picked up his carving knife, performing the final micro-sutures with surgical precision.

He connected the energy pathways of the runic matrix to the biological nodes of the tissue, sealing the entire construct in a localised, protective mana barrier. The completed artefact sat on the workbench... a pulsing crimson sphere that beat with a steady cadence like a living heart. It was a flawless Pyro-Kinetic Core.

”Synthesis complete,” Kale announced flatly, stepping back from the workbench.

The hall was dead silent. The process had taken just under two hours... far ahead of the allotted time. The sheer speed and clean execution of his crafting had left the audience completely spellbound.

Kraul stood up, gesturing to the testing assistants. ”Bring the testing array,” he ordered. Two heavy, copper-clad towers were wheeled onto the platform, their tips sparking with concentrated fire mana. They aligned the towers with the Pyro-Kinetic Core, the air between them crackling with tension.

”Initiating elemental surge at 30% capacity,” Kraul commanded. A beam of pure fire mana erupted from the towers, slamming directly into the core. The crimson sphere absorbed the energy instantly, its surface glowing brighter but showing no signs of strain.

”Increase to 60%,” Kraul said, his eyes narrowing. The beam thickened, the intense heat making the stone floor beneath the testing array groan.

The Pyro-Kinetic Core continued to pulse, its runic channels distributing the massive energy load evenly across the integrated tissue, which expanded slightly to absorb the surge.

”Take it to one 100%,” Kraul growled, leaning over the railing. The blast of fire was deafening, a blinding pillar of light that obscured the workbench entirely. The heat in the hall rose to an uncomfortable level, forcing some of the apprentices in the front rows to shield their faces.

The surge ended, the copper towers humming as they powered down. When the smoke cleared, the Pyro-Kinetic Core was still sitting perfectly intact on the workbench.

It was glowing with a brilliant, steady crimson light, its rhythmic pulse completely undisturbed. There was not a single crack in the silver-alloy core, nor a single scorched fibre on the integrated tissue graft. The integration was absolute.

Oram stood up, his pleasant face carrying a mixture of awe and profound respect. ”Flawless. The energy distribution is perfectly balanced, and the cellular integration shows zero degradation under maximum stress. I have never seen such a clean synthesis from a candidate.”

Kraul let out a low rumble, nodding his head in grudging approval. ”The toolcraft engraving is precise, and the choice of fire-sap was handled with master-level competence. You have passed, boy.”

Lazek Oberon slowly stood up, a small, smug grin playing on his lips. ”By the authority of this council, I declare Kale Ardentis a Master Artificer of the Association. His status is finalised, effective immediately.”

A loud cheer erupted from the apprentice benches, the senior craftsmen nodding in quiet respect as they recognised the birth of a true prodigy. Rando offered a polite, respectful nod from the front row before turning to slip away through the crowd, ready to carry the news back to the royal palace.

Kale offered a formal half-bow to the panel of examiners, his green eyes remaining calm as he carefully stored his newly created Pyro-Kinetic Core. The first step of his capital ascension was complete.

With his master status secured and his political immunity finalised, the Genetic Engineer was finally ready to face the tightening net of the Dragon Church, prepared to turn their own weapons against them.