The Birth of the Witch Weapon
Luke Aegis, a descendant of the great hero Aegis who had saved countless lives by subjugating the Witch, had dreamed of becoming someone who could help others since he was a child. When he discovered his talent for healing magic, he devoted himself to becoming a doctor. However, once he actually became one, he realized with crushing clarity that there were far too many people he couldn't save, even with the healing magic he had been praised for since youth.
The largest group among them were the heroes who had to fight monsters directly outside the Barrier or in the border regions. These individuals, who threw their bodies into the fray to protect others, were often brought in with wounds that even the most skilled doctor couldn't easily mend. Every time those who had sacrificed themselves for the sake of others turned into cold corpses on the operating table, Luke felt a profound sense of helplessness. He earned a doctorate in medicine and learned everything he could to save more lives, but while his reputation grew, so did the number of people he failed to save.
While taking a break from his work, feeling the limitations of medical science, he attended a university alumni reunion. There, he met Satoru for the first time in a long while. They hadn't been close friends, but as students, they had both been called geniuses—the kind that appear once in a century—in their respective fields, so there was a mutual awareness and a certain level of camaraderie. Perhaps it was because he felt the need to talk to someone, anyone, that Luke, who rarely drank, got slightly tipsy and grabbed Satoru, who was lingering nearby, to pour out his troubles.
Satoru looked at Luke for a moment before speaking. "I've been researching something recently. If it's completed, I think it could achieve your goal. But there's a limit to what I can do alone. To finish it, I need the help of someone with exceptional medical knowledge like you. Would you be interested in helping?"
When Luke nodded, Satoru spoke in a hesitant tone, looking troubled. "The problem is, this is a very sensitive topic, so I can't just tell anyone. I need to hear how firm your resolve is."
Luke replied. He would do anything if it meant he could save people. At that, Satoru curled his lips into a smile. "I hope you mean that."
After the reunion, Luke followed him to a large laboratory, having even signed a pledge not to speak of it to anyone outside the project. When Satoru touched something, the wall rotated to reveal a hidden space. As Luke stood there, stunned by the existence of such a place, Satoru chuckled. "It's too early to be surprised. The real thing starts now."
In what looked like a hidden laboratory, Satoru picked up a transparent bottle. Inside were black fragments that looked like charcoal. Satoru held them up so they could be seen clearly and began to speak.
"You know that Astra subjugated the Witch of Wrath, right? There is an item that Witch left behind. This is a fragment of the Witch of Wrath's heart, which Astra had been keeping. Don't be so surprised. Our investigation shows it only contains a strong energy and doesn't seem to cause significant harm to humans. Luke, haven't you ever wondered? Monsters are quite strong, but just how strong are the Witches? So, I thought about it."
Satoru smiled. Gently shaking the bottle and examining the fragments inside, he asked Luke:
"How strong would it be if we could use this to create a combat weapon with powers as potent as a Witch's? If something like that could fight in place of people, many would stop getting hurt by monsters, and countless lives would be saved. What do you think? If you want to quit, now is the time."
It wasn't that he felt no anxiety about the remains of a Witch, but if it were possible, it sounded plausible. Luke opened his mouth. That was the moment Luke stepped into the 'Witch Weaponization Project'.
"The vessel of wrath, bound in flesh and mana,"
"Awaken to the command of the creator."
⟨ PROJECT: EVANGELINE ⟩
There exists a golem that cannot perform complex movements but regenerates endlessly as long as the mana-infused core remains intact. The data for 'Experimental Subject No. 1', which Satoru had created alone, showed a golem made of metal.
"It was too sluggish and couldn't draw out the power of the fragment used as a core at all. So, I wondered what the problem was and thought a human shape might be more suitable. It was better than before, but ultimately, it was a failure. I tried to improve it, but since I lack medical knowledge, it wasn't easy to go further."
The data photo for 'Experimental Subject No. 2' showed a golem with a human-like form, made of flesh instead of metal. Satoru demanded of Luke, "I want to confirm if the human form is compatible, so I need you to create a body more similar to a human."
Experimental Subject No. 3, created to meet those requirements, was a golem in the shape of an ordinary adult male, far more human-like than No. 2. "The problem is that golems can only perform simple commands." The creaking No. 3 was scrapped.
"Do you know about the 'Homunculus' that ancient mages researched?" It was something Luke also knew about. In modern times, it was a study applied to the cultivation of artificial bodies to replace limbs lost in accidents. It was an artificial life form that was much harder to create than a golem but could perform far more complex tasks, and in the past, they were sometimes used as assistants to mages.
"This seems to be the answer. But, as expected, the durability is too low to be used as a weapon." Although it seemed to understand more complex commands than the golems, a body with the durability of an average person couldn't function as a weapon. No. 4 and the subsequently created No. 5 were scrapped because they failed durability tests.
The cultivation of artificial bodies for superhumans had never succeeded, but the two of them succeeded in creating a body strong enough to be satisfactory through several spells and chemical treatments. It was the discovery of the century by two scholars, but because of the nature of the research, it was never published in academia.
"Now that durability is solved, the fragments are the problem." No. 6, which passed the durability test, died in a seizure, unable to handle the energy of the fragments embedded near its heart. "I thought it was right to embed them all in the heart since it's a heart fragment, but it seems the energy is too strong to withstand. Shall I try spreading them out?"
Experimental Subject No. 7, which had the seven fragments of the Witch's heart spread out—one each in both hands, both feet, the head, the heart, and the dantian—did not have seizures, but it could not use the Witch's power. "Perhaps it would be better if the form were similar to use the Witch's power. How about making it a female type?" No. 8, the first female type, was confirmed to be slightly stronger, but it still couldn't use the ability and was scrapped.
"They say the Witch of Wrath was a girl with black hair and red eyes." When Experimental Subject No. 9 was made with that appearance, it seemed slightly stronger, but it was scrapped for the same reason.
Through continued experiments and research, the power source that moved the body was improved to run on mana instead of food, and the body became increasingly like a weapon. But if it couldn't use the Witch's power, it was just a slightly sturdy superhuman. Satoru, troubled by the string of failures, suggested, "...Luke, how about we try making a homunculus with emotions?"
Even the creation of emotionless homunculi was a subject of debate in modern times, with calls to refrain due to ethical issues. Furthermore, the creation of homunculi without removing emotions had long been strictly forbidden. Luke knew it was something that should never be done. But Luke was exhausted. He was tired of treating the human-like experimental subjects he had created, which were reduced to bloody messes in the name of durability tests, with his own hands every day. He was tired of getting used to the foul stench of incinerating dead subjects. He was tired of doubting whether what he was doing was truly right.
Extreme stress can sometimes make people lose their minds. That day, that was why Luke crossed the line he had drawn for himself. Luke recalled the question he had once asked Satoru. Why were the subjects named that way? Satoru had replied that he had taken the name of the Witch of Wrath he had read about in a book. A homunculus with black hair, red eyes, and emotions. Abbreviated as Experimental Subject No. 10. Officially named, Evangeline Decimus, was born that way.
After school, Sylvia sent a text to her attendant, who would be waiting for her at the school gate. [I have a place to stop by today, so please don't wait and go ahead.] The attendant would probably wonder what was going on and look for her for a while, but she had already slipped out the back gate and was walking down the street following Yoon Siwoo.
It was the greatest act of rebellion since she had arbitrarily submitted her application to Aegis Academy, so Sylvia's heart was pounding. 'By the way, a hospital visit...' Sylvia glanced sideways at Yoon Siwoo, who had a face full of worry. 'I'm anxious about having a man with such ulterior motives by Scarlet's side, but...'
He was even the bad person who had tried to drive a wedge between her and Scarlet. But since he was the one who had offered to visit the hospital and the one who knew the home address, she had no choice but to go with him. Sylvia, who had been glaring at him unobtrusively while keeping pace with Yoon Siwoo, who was walking with quick steps as if he were in a hurry, discovered something sparkling on the road in the distance. When she looked closely, it was a red ring with a familiar shape.
If her intuition was correct, it was absolutely not an item that should be lying on the street like that. Sylvia quickly overtook Yoon Siwoo, ran over, picked up the ring, and checked the inscription inside. A ring engraved with a phrase that was likely the only pair in the world. The image of Scarlet, with a blank expression, taking off the ring and throwing it on the floor, flashed through her mind. 'That can't be!'
Sylvia, who shook her head to clear away the bad thoughts, discovered something dark red, a different color, smeared and hardened on the decorative part of the red ring. It was a mark that one couldn't help but get used to as a hero. It was blood. Sylvia's heart beat ominously. Scarlet was on the stronger side. But the fact that she hadn't come to school today without notice, and the blood-stained ring lying on the street—no matter how she thought about it, it didn't bode well.
At that moment, Yoon Siwoo's ability, which she had seen during field training, flashed through her mind. 'He said if he had something like this, he could know where someone was and what they were doing...'
She held out the ring to Yoon Siwoo, who had been looking at her, having run ahead, with a puzzled expression. Seeing the ring she held out, he seemed to intuit that something bad had happened; his face hardened, and he drew a dagger from thin air. And Sylvia knew that her bad premonition was correct at the sight of Yoon Siwoo's changed expression. It was the first time that handsome face had looked so ominous.
Yoon Siwoo opened his mouth in a low voice. "Scarlet is outside the Barrier. She's hanging there with her arms and legs bound by chains... It looks like she's been kidnapped."
And Sylvia was certain that she was likely wearing a similar expression. To think there was a madman who would kidnap a hero. In such a case, the principle was to report it and wait. But there was a chance the heroes who received the report wouldn't make it in time. As it happened, there were two people here who were said to be stronger than most active heroes. Sylvia quietly met Yoon Siwoo's eyes. He, who was clearly thinking the same thing, nodded.
The next moment, Yoon Siwoo, who was slightly faster than her, scooped up Sylvia and dashed down the street.