Corpse Processing
I projected my mana into the raptor corpse.
With the Golden Rule, I could clearly perceive the essence of the primitive species I had discovered.
“Finally found it.”
It was only a chick’s tear’s worth of the stuff.
Maybe it was thanks to experimenting until one primitive heart had been reduced to tatters. One thing was certain.
“This much isn’t enough.”
An inference made possible by the Golden Rule and the results of my experiments. What was I supposed to do about it?
Even if I linked it to a primitive heart to preserve the essence, it didn’t seem like it would lead to any meaningful results. This wasn’t mere gut feeling. The Golden Rule was the ability to discern the optimal combination. Data from the previous experiment. Talents inherited from my subordinates. When every factor was combined, this was the only reasonable conclusion.
【How about extracting the energy Master requires?】
“Extracting it?”
【The foundation of alchemy is extraction.】
Extract the essence of the primitive species from the raptor corpses. Combine the essence drawn from several of them, and I could produce the quantity I needed.
“I don’t know how to extract anything.”
I had zero alchemy-related skills. The only tool I possessed was Megus’s Balance.
【Ordinarily one would need something like a crystal beaker, but with this old man here, it is a different matter.】
Trismegistus.
The ultimate realm of alchemy. Yet Megus had lost every alchemy skill upon becoming undead.
【If you follow this old man’s guidance, there should be no problem.】
Well, nothing to lose by trying. Let’s give it a shot.
“How am I supposed to extract without any alchemy skills?”
【Use the mana you have infused to seize the essence firmly.】
Advice to treat corpse processing like alchemy.
Receiving the aid of Trismegistus.
The secret arts of alchemy seep into your mana.
So that was how he helped. Perfect.
I spread the infused mana wide so the green energy could not escape. When I tried to contract it all at once to seize the essence—
Whoosh!
The primitive essence slipped away like a loach.
“Not as easy as it looks.”
【You must move your mana with greater precision.】
“I think I’ve got it now.”
One failure was enough. I fed additional mana through the points of contact and spread it wider, denser. Leaving the primal essence no gap to escape, I clamped down hard.
Flutter. The green energy caught in my mana writhed.
“Do I apply force here?”
【No!】
That startled me.
【Apply too much force and the essence will break down.】
“You could have said that a little earlier.”
I grumbled while focusing on mana control. Thanks to the Origin of Magic, fine control was possible. I spent time holding the essence in place until its thrashing gradually weakened.
【Master. One question.】
“That serious tone is a little scary.”
【Have you never studied alchemy?】
“If I had, I wouldn’t be struggling like this.”
【Such clean technique on the first attempt… I can scarcely believe it.】
What? He was treating something so obvious with such gravity that I blanked for a second.
“I’ve got your talent, remember?”
Thanks to the Golden Rule I could pinpoint exactly where the primitive essence was. From there it was smooth sailing. Without Megus’s talent and assistance, it would have been impossible.
【It seems Master does not fully grasp his own greatness.】
“Me?”
【Perceiving energy and moving it are two different things.】
Even without the Golden Rule’s aid, alchemists could visualize the properties of mana using various catalysts, he explained.
【The greatest function of the Golden Rule is the sense for finding ratios.】
“So locating the energy is just a secondary effect?”
【‘A replaceable ability’ would be the more accurate phrasing.】
Megus made a tsk sound through his thoughts.
【It is a pity this old man is a dead body.】
“Didn’t you say just yesterday you were glad to be dead?”
【Had I met Master while still whole, I would have freely bestowed every technique I possessed.】
Come on. That was laying it on a bit thick. Flattery was fine, but there was no need to invent things that weren’t true.
【Does Master believe a grand alchemist such as this old man would stoop to flattery?】
“Anyone would think that.”
“Oh my. This maiden agrees with the alchemist’s opinion.”
Not you too.
“My lord was merely clumsy with his body; his senses themselves were extraordinary, were they not?”
When my subordinates spoke with one voice, the corner of my mouth twitched. Enough already. It was starting to feel like I really was some great person.
“Great Lord is indeed a magnificent person, that is so!”
Was today my birthday and I just didn’t know it?
Whew. Maybe my concentration had slipped. The primitive essence I had barely managed to hold onto gave a sudden thrash.
“What next?”
【Bring a mana stone into contact and guide it in that direction.】
The Death Blacksmith held a fair stock of mana stones. I could summon one the moment I thought of it. I called forth an A-grade mana stone, held it near the primitive essence, and moved my mana.
Shuuuuung!
The green energy trapped in the mana stone darted about for a moment before quickly settling.
Skill – Essence Extraction has been registered.
Essence Extraction
Type: Alchemy
Category: Passive
Grade: B
Extracts a specific energy dwelling within an object.
The extracted energy may be used as a catalyst for alchemy or magic.
Comprehension: 1%
Whoa. Now I was even learning alchemy skills. The unique abilities of a Necrosmith. Swordsmanship. Magic. And now alchemy on top of it. There was a limit to how versatile one person should be. I wasn’t even sure I could master a single discipline if I poured everything into it, yet I kept accumulating more and more.
“You mustn’t forget this humble servant’s talent either, Great Lord!”
“There aren’t any thieving skills, though.”
“Not thievery—archaeology, that is so!”
“Do not deceive our lord, you thief.”
The thievery part was a joke, but it was true I lacked stealth-type skills.
“Did you not use it when you dispatched those who ambushed us, that is so!”
“Ah. That was a skill built into an item.”
Still, I had benefited quite a bit from the ability I received from Zaug—Stealthy Footsteps. I should train some stealth-type abilities when I had the chance… if I ever found the time, that is.
For now, I would focus solely on extracting essence from the raptor corpses. Each one held only a chick’s tear’s worth, but if I diligently gathered it, it would become usable.
Surely I wouldn’t be pulling another all-nighter today… right?
Extracting the essence of the primitive species from the raptor corpses was not easy. The amount of essence differed subtly from corpse to corpse, and the points where it lingered were all different. I had to infuse my mana to locate it, then finely adjust the force according to the quantity of essence.
【Pack your mana a little denser.】
“Ugh.”
【You put too much force into it.】
“I know, okay?”
【Tsk, tsk.】
This old man, seriously. I was getting a full taste of just how irritating backseat driving could be. I admitted that Megus’s skill, Trismegistus, made essence extraction considerably easier. But the nagging was relentless.
【In my day, I could extract all day long and still be full of energy.】
At first I listened, thinking it was advice. Then his words grew longer and longer until they turned into pure self-praise.
【Do you know what happened the first time this old man succeeded at mana extraction? The entire Alchemy Guild was turned upside down.】
Ah. I couldn’t take it anymore.
“Shut it.”
【Mmph, mmmph!】
Whew. Finally I could breathe.
“Well done. I thought my ears were about to bleed.”
“That old man acts like he’s the only one who’s ever been great.”
“This humble servant has also explored many ancient ruins, that is so!”
【Old man. Be quiet.】
My subordinates, seizing the chance, each tossed in a remark.
“You were all just putting up with him?”
“I waited in case he might offer advice useful to my lord.”
“This maiden wanted to knock him over ages ago, but held back because of that iron-headed one.”
“Shall we re-educate the youngest a bit?”
So Dame Isra had been serving as the restraint for the other subordinates. In the end I had been forced to listen to a mountain of the grand alchemist’s glory-days stories, but her judgment itself had been correct.
“Good work, Dame.”
“Haha! As First Sword, I merely did what was only natural.”
Even as she said it was only natural, her face was full of smiles. Whoa. For a moment that smile completely captured my gaze. I couldn’t keep my wits about me.
“This should be enough. Shall we move on to the next step?”
The primitive heart and the mana stone filled with extracted essence. I already knew exactly where they would be used.
Gate boss monster and mutant creature.
The cute little thing that nearly left claw marks on my neck.
“I saved this for a day just like today.”
Eheheheh! A precious mutant corpse. My fingers itched with the feeling that something good was about to come of this.
“Khh… The humiliation of that day comes flooding back.”
“What humiliation?”
“My lord was in danger.”
“Truly. Just thinking about it is humiliating.”
Ingrid furrowed her brow as well.
“Is that so, that is so?”
“Ask no further, thief.”
Dame Isra’s razor-edged reply made Zaug clamp his mouth shut. It must have been that shocking for the two of them. I myself didn’t think much of it.
Sliiiice—
I opened the chest, replaced the heart, and firmly embedded the mana stone into the forehead.
Blue Raptor Corpse
I had no intention of heavily modifying the blue raptor corpse. The original itself was far more powerful than an ordinary raptor. Aside from the severely damaged parts, I left it as is. It had already been sufficiently aged in the Pit of Malice, so there was no need to use a mana stone for that.
Connecting heart and forehead in a spiral pattern.
Opening circuits throughout the entire body so mana can circulate.
“Are you making it into a Blood Demon?”
“A little different.”
How to put it? I was taking the structure of the enhanced Draco as the main framework and exquisitely blending the Blood Demon production method with the spirit circuit structure of a Death Warrior. It was a method I was attempting for the first time.
Dame Isra looked uneasy.
“Are you certain? Are you not overreaching with the essence you worked so hard to gather?”
“No. I think this will work.”
The tingling in my fingertips told me I had a solid bite on the line. And if I failed? Well, then I would simply try again. Since when had I only ever succeeded?
“Open your eyes.”
Thump! Thump! The primitive heart that had long since stopped moving began to beat.
It had not truly come back to life. It was resonating with the primitive essence gathered in the A-grade mana stone and moving because of it.
【Mmph! Mmmph!】
Megus’s thoughts rang out loudly. He seemed urgent.
“Speak.”
【Project an image, Master.】
Even if he suddenly said something like that—
【Visualize the form that the essence of the primitive species will create.】
Urgency colored his thoughts. Fine. I would ask for the reason later and do as he said for now.
Visualize the form of a primitive species. Suddenly, the image of one of the primitive species I had seen as a child flashed through my mind. I strongly fixed that image in place.
Crunch! Crackle-crack!
The mutant raptor’s corpse began to expand. The sound of bones inside the body lengthening and breaking. This pattern… I had seen it before.
Additional materials are required in the creation process of this undead.
Hold on. Why was this so similar to Draco’s evolution pattern?
“Ah, damn it. I’ve lost it.”
If I just tossed whole raptor corpses at it, it wouldn’t be able to digest them.
I quickly swung the knife that had materialized in a familiar form.
Slash-slash-slash!
The long-dead, hardened bones and flesh of the raptors separated in an instant. I had confidence in my butchering skills. I threw the bones and flesh to the mutant raptor mid-reconstruction.
Crunch! Crackle-crack!
It incorporated them into its body and consumed them as reconstruction materials. Around the time the stockpiled raptor corpses were running out—
The reconstructed mutant raptor rose to its feet.