"Dr. Fran, be careful. He's preparing for a final, desperate counterattack."
Haida called out softly, stepping forward to shield Fran, who was absorbed in her research enthusiasm.
The Grafted Scion swayed its chaotic mass of limbs and leaned forward slightly. In the next moment, it swung the straight sword in its hand wildly at Haida.
"Agility and stamina have clearly declined, but the aggression is still strong…"
Haida twisted her body, evading the sword tip that was almost upon her. She had been fighting this monster for a while and had basically figured out its pattern of movement.
Then, she lowered her stance, pivoted at the waist, gripped the broad hilt of the sword on her back with both hands… and unleashed a powerful horizontal slash.
A roar of tearing air surged forth. The Grafted Scion's primary arms holding the weapon were severed and fell to the ground with a dull thud.
The weapon Haida was currently using was an unusually massive and crude greatsword. It was more like a block of iron than a blade. If not for the modifications from Fran's surgery granting her strength beyond human limits, she probably couldn't even lift this sword.
"Against large creatures, heavy weapons indeed have an advantage, and they feel better to wield…"
Haida evenly adjusted her breathing after the full-force strike.
Her usual wooden-handled clasp knife was clearly not very suitable for dealing with these tenacious, hulking monsters. So, upon Dr. Fran's strong recommendation, she tried out this surprisingly heavy greatsword.
She had already trained in two-handed swordsmanship, so she picked up the greatsword quickly and became proficient. After fully mastering this simple, pure great blade, she never used another weapon again…
"Urgh…"
The Grafted Scion let out a meaningless roar and lunged at the two women with its remaining limbs, like a desperate, trapped beast.
With another heavy sound of a blade striking, it finally fell powerlessly.
Yvonne slowly pulled her sword from the grafted monster's back, bringing up a viscous, crimson stream of blood. After wiping it briefly, she sheathed it on her back again.
"Whew, finally over."
The weapon she used was also a sword of clearly abnormal specifications and size. Its blade was forged by fusing countless broken and rusted straight swords together. After being stained with blood, it looked even more ferocious and vicious.
This "Grafted Blade Greatsword" was loot Yvonne and Haida obtained after jointly defeating a not-so-friendly Misbegotten creature… At first, Yvonne naturally couldn't even lift it. But with the Tarnished's innate talent and the strengthening of Runes on her body, she gradually reached the threshold of being able to wield this greatsword.
"Though I've seen it many times, I can't help but feel surprised every time…"
Seeing Yvonne wield the Grafted Blade Greatsword, Haida couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. The "humans" of the Lands Between indeed possessed overwhelming advantages in combat talent and physique compared to ordinary people.
When they first met, Yvonne struggled to swing a straight sword; now she could perform leaping attacks while carrying an ultra greatsword… An ordinary person, even with a lifetime of training, would probably find it difficult to use a weapon of this scale.
Fran, carrying her medical kit, walked briskly up to the Grafted Scion. She bent down with keen interest, beginning the physical examination and sample collection.
"He's grafted so many hands, yet the only ones he can skillfully use are still the left and right primary ones… The other limbs, even if equipped with weapons, are used at very low frequency. Even though his body has become a deformed monstrosity, his self-perception is still that of a 'human'."
Her fingertips meticulously traced the swollen, grotesque joints at the grafted areas, confirming the method and principle of the "grafting."
"No hemostasis, no anti-rejection measures, no suturing. The specific technique is probably cutting once on each side and then tying them together… Like grafting a peach tree, relying on natural healing to complete the union."
Fran licked her lips, her brows slightly furrowing, her expression becoming somewhat subtle.
For Fran, who was accustomed to performing precise surgeries, the grafting ritual held no technical learning value whatsoever.
Because its specific method was roughly on the same level as "I reckon it'll stick." Looking at it any longer would probably cause her medical skills to decline…
"Perhaps basic physiology in the Lands Between doesn't involve 'rejection' between individuals? In that case, organ transfer would be incredibly convenient… Sampling is complete. Let's peel open the main body and take a look now."
Fran took out a scalpel with a mirror-like edge from her small medical kit and began today's dissection work.
Witnessing and exploring a brand new, independent physiological system brought her great pleasure, to the point that the smile on her lips was hard to suppress. Seeing her in this near-ecstatic state, Yvonne wisely stayed nearby without disturbing her.
Haida, as usual, wiped the blood from her greatsword, seemingly already accustomed to it…
---
Taking advantage of this gap, Yvonne somewhat shyly asked about her performance earlier against the Grafted Scion.
"Sister Haida, were there any issues with my sword-swinging movements that need correction? This sword is so heavy, I've always had trouble mastering it…"
"For an emergency reaction in an encounter, your movements were sufficiently standard. Don't underestimate yourself; you have considerable talent in combat."
Haida nodded slightly, not stinting on her praise.
Growing to this level in just half a year could indeed be called exceptionally talented. Even if Yvonne had been subjected to the highest-intensity training regimen of the Secrets-Hunter order, her growth was still too fast. It was as if some kind of monster was gradually awakening…
"Thank you, Sister Haida… I'll work even harder to improve!"
This Sister was very strict; getting her praise was no easy feat. Yvonne touched her cheek, feeling quite embarrassed.
Fran was engrossed in her academic pursuits every day, so Yvonne's daily training was planned by Haida. Fran only stepped in to teach when Yvonne needed to learn new Glintstone sorceries. But later, Fran found Yvonne a substitute teacher named "Sellen."
As a sorceress, Sellen was extremely knowledgeable and had a profound understanding of Glintstone sorcery. Most importantly… she was a good teacher in every sense of the word.
So much so that Fran was eventually freed from even the responsibility of teaching magic, completely liberated from the burden of babysitting.
"Done."
Soon, Fran extracted the main body of the Grafted Scion from the mass of cysts and flesh-tumors. She even humanely completed its body, so it remained basically intact, not missing arms or legs…
"Successfully peeled off. But the limbs are a bit incomplete. Luckily, limb materials are readily available on him; a little trimming will do. Next… let's find today's main target. This is your second exam, Yvonne."
Fran removed her blood-soaked latex gloves, looking quite satisfied. Then she turned her gaze to Yvonne.
"Mhm."
Yvonne didn't feel nervous. Just a bit excited… She had never imagined she would one day actually go to challenge a descendant of a god.
Though Godrick was weak and cowardly, driven to the madness of grafting sorcery in his quest for power, he was still the current Golden Lord.
For a nameless, insignificant person to raise arms against him… still required immense courage.
---
Stormveil Castle, Central Courtyard. Where "Godrick the Grafted" resided.
Beneath the towering, majestic city walls, countless broken corpses were piled like a mountain.
The frenzied Godrick was selecting suitable limbs. His body had already been grafted with too much flesh not his own… making him look like a rotting pile of corpses himself.
"Thou who approacheth Destined Death…" Godrick's two eyes glanced over, noticing Yvonne pushing the door open and entering.
"Thou'rt a Tarnished, I can see it. And thou'rt after my Great Rune… Very well. Soon, thou'lt join the rest of them. As a grafting scrap."
Using the troll arm not his own, he raised the massive, heavy royal greataxe and pointed it at Yvonne.
"—I command thee, kneel! I am the lord of all that is golden!"
Yvonne didn't speak. She merely walked toward Godrick, holding the fearsome and awe-inspiring Grafted Blade Greatsword. One of the many habits she learned from Haida… was to remain silent during a life-and-death struggle. Unless necessary, no need for words.
The legendary sword reforged and fused from the weapons of countless fallen warriors was, in a way, somewhat similar to this golden descendant grafted with countless limbs. The former was a resolute, avenging hero of a fallen kingdom; the latter, a pitiful soul seeking power.
Blades crossed, axes clashed. The duel began.
"'God's' descendant… To think I would one day witness such an existence."
Observing the two combatants from atop the ramparts, Haida let out a sigh of admiration. Fran blinked, yawned lazily, long since accustomed to such sights.
"If we truly can't determine Yvonne's illness, then we'll just have to accompany her all the way… Later, she'll fight against true Demigods and even gods. Save your astonishment for then, Sister Haida."
"…" Haida's expression froze, as if she even forgot to breathe for a moment.
"These gods and demigods have long since weakened from fighting each other. And the 'Tarnished,' as pawns in the game of higher beings, naturally possess the potential to end divinity. But it's only been six months… I'm a bit concerned how much time she'll need to grow to that point."
Fran seemed in rather high spirits today, making her explanations to Haida more detailed and clear. Her tone carried a hint of relaxed amusement, but her words were filled with the arrogance of scorning the gods.
"Time is indeed a problem that cannot be ignored…"
Haida narrowed her eyes slightly.
Although Yvonne's rate of improvement was meteoric, worthy of being called monstrous… that was relative to humans. To grow to the level of truly slaying gods, how much time for training, how many Runes to collect, how many sorceries to study would be needed?
"Hmm~ It's almost over here too. Let's see if these six months of initial investment will turn into sunk costs."
Fran stretched her waist like a feline, refocusing her attention on the storm-battered central courtyard.
Corpse piles swirled, golden clashes echoed.
Both Godrick and Yvonne were already covered in wounds but were still using every means to kill the other.
Yvonne closed in with a sword strike, severing one of the many grafted limbs. Godrick also took advantage of her exhausted state after that strike to bring down his royal greataxe.
In desperation, Yvonne freed one hand, instantly switching to her Astrologer's staff, and conjured an azure, crystalline Carian sword. The magically constructed blade shattered upon contact with the greataxe, but it gave her the chance to create distance.
Amidst the scattered magical dust, Yvonne surprisingly did not retreat… After the magic sword shattered, the greataxe directly struck into her shoulder blade, shattering most of the bone and shoulder.
But precisely because of this, she found the opening for a one-handed sword strike!
In an instant, the Grafted Blade Greatsword severed Godrick's troll arm at the vulnerable grafted joint.
"What is this… Such impudence…"
He rolled his bloated body in panic, burrowing into a nearby corpse pile, then thrust the stump of his arm into the head of a dead flying dragon.
But Yvonne gave Godrick no time to adapt to the new limb… She adhered to Haida's Secrets-Hunter style of combat, with the pursuit of maximum killing efficiency as its core tenet. If there's a chance to interrupt an enemy during their phase transition, never let it slip.
Yvonne leaped high, landing on Godrick's shoulder and neck, then raised her blade and poured all her strength into a slash at his spine.
"You…!"
Godrick, already on the verge of collapse, fell with the blow, entering his final moments.
Fran, having descended from the ramparts by now, walked over to this golden descendant, applauding.
"Though I'd really like to say 'the hand is saved,' Yvonne, you seem to have cut it off beforehand… This exam was completed quite well. However, that final injury-for-injury trade was too reckless; you could have used a smarter method."
Godrick breathed heavily, looking at the white-clad maiden who approached gracefully, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. But as death approached, he no longer cared… feeling only endless regret at not being able to return to his homeland.
"The time has come… To usher in an age of the Erdtr—"
"Stop, Mr. Godrick. Though it might be somewhat presumptuous… I don't seem to have allowed you to die here, do I?"
Fran interrupted Godrick's dying words in an unsportsmanlike manner, then took out a syringe and injected it into his neck. Feeling his life force slowly reviving, Godrick felt dazed and incredulous.
"Who… who art thou? What dost thou intend?"
Facing this Grafted Lord's inquiry, Fran put on a business-like, formulaic smile and clasped her hands together.
"Oh, I'm just a passing doctor. But please don't misunderstand; I'm not opposed to watching you die. The reason for temporarily keeping you alive is twofold. First, I lack readily available live specimens. Second… I suddenly feel like playing the noble ending."
….
Within Caria Manor, outside Ranni's Rise.
"Dr. Fran, will the witch here really help us?"
Yvonne asked Fran a question, then resumed her vigilance. She observed every doorway and corner shadow with a cautious, almost neurotic scrutiny.
The monsters here were some kind of hand-shaped magical constructs that moved very quickly and could even climb walls like spiders… Their appearance alone was enough to cause a visceral feeling of discomfort.
"A pity, I can't say for sure. She came to see me that day, but didn't meet you… That was somewhat unexpected."
Fran merely smiled ambiguously, not answering Yvonne's question directly. Probably because she didn't know the exact answer, or perhaps her current hypotheses weren't convenient to reveal yet…
Following Fran's line, Yvonne asked again, "So that's why we need to come confirm her attitude?"
"Precisely. And… now is the most suitable time. Before, you probably lacked a bit of 'qualification.'"
Fran gently gestured with her hands, confirming Yvonne's thought.
"Qualification… You mean, Godrick's Great Rune?"
"Actually, it's not strictly necessary. But if you want to meet an Empyrean and make some kind of deal, it's best to have some bargaining chips prepared."
The smile in Fran's eyes concealed a glimmer of profound depth that was hard to truly decipher.
Soon, the three entered the Rise. Ascending the stairs, they finally arrived at Ranni's study. Ranni sat upon a wooden chair padded with books, her Snow Witch pointed hat tilted down, covering her face as if in a light sleep.
But sensing someone's arrival, she gradually awoke, opening a single clear-as-the-moon eye to look at the visitors.
"Welcome. Doctor, Sister, and… Tarnished."
"Glad to see you again, Lunar Princess Ranni. Though I was unable to fully introduce myself last time, somewhat discourteous. But now it seems… it was unnecessary."
Fran performed a slight bow, returning the greeting concisely.
"Fran. Let us dispense with these ancient courtesies of testing one another… I know your purpose."
Hearing this, Fran narrowed her amber eyes, remaining silent for a moment… She hadn't mentioned her name to Ranni.
It seemed this Lunar Princess knew more than Fran had imagined. But… when they arrived, Melina had also just appeared, and all the Demigods were still alive. The time node for the Lands Between should be the moment the Tarnished "first appears."
Something was off, causing Ranni's consciousness to exhibit a disordered sequence transcending the current node…
After pondering briefly, Fran spoke again.
"Even so, I would like to hear your request from your own lips. Only then… can it be called a 'contract.'"
+++
T/N: Hey readers~! New Translator here! Before I say anything, I'd first like to thank the original author for creating this wonderful story. Without them, I wouldn't have the chance to share this adventure with you. I hope my translation does justice to their work, and that together, we can enjoy this story.
With that said, I'm happy to let you know I'll be uploading daily chapters. And for those who wish to support my work and gain early access, I've set up a Patreon where advanced chapters will be available.
[email protected]/PeakTL