The roar of the Skaron echoed through the ancient village, a sound of terror and destruction that chilled the bones of all who heard it. The streets were filled with the cries of the innocent, as mothers wailed for their lost children, fathers bellowed in rage, and children wept in fear. The once beautiful village was now a scene of carnage and ruin as horror-struck villagers dashed away with blood staining the cracked earth, and limbs scattered amongst the rubble.
Nicholas Akshay, son of the immortal sect leader of the glorious Pride sect, surveyed the destruction from high above.
He was a man of striking appearance, with chiseled features and a physique honed by years of battle. But even his handsome face could not mask the sorrow and anger he felt as he looked upon the Skaron.
The creature was a monstrosity, with scales as blue as the deepest ocean and wings that seemed to stretch to the very heavens. It skipped and pranced through the village, its pointy legs built like javelins, piercing the flesh of any poor soul it caught up to. The Skaron seemed to relish in the destruction it caused, its dragon-like features twisted in a grotesque grin as it wreaked havoc on the innocent villagers.
Nicholas knew that he had to act quickly, for the fate of the village rested on his shoulders.
He steeled himself for battle, his hand reaching for the hilt of his obsidian black long sword, a weapon forged in the fires of ancient magic and honed by the blood of his enemies. He was the only hope for the village, and he would not fail them. With fierce determination, Nicholas dove towards the Skaron, ready to do battle with the beast and bring an end to its reign of terror.
Nicholas's dark, furrowed brows knitted together in a fierce scowl as he glared at the beast below.
The creature was a monstrous thing, with matted fur and razor-sharp teeth bared in a cruel grin. It prowled through the village, not bothering to devour the terrified villagers it chased, but hunting them for sport alone.
With a deep sigh, Nicholas slowly lowered himself into a diving stance. His body coiled tight like a spring ready to be unleashed. His hand stretched around him, fingers splayed wide, while the other rested lightly on the hilt of his obsidian black long sword - the weapon that had served him well in countless battles. He would not let this village fall to the beast's cruel whims. He was their only hope and he would not fail them.
-BOOM
With a deafening boom, a massive shockwave erupted from Nicholas's previous position, shattering the sound barrier as he disappeared from sight. Swift as a falcon, he launched himself towards the Skaron. His body was bent in a spear-like position, cutting through the air with deadly precision.
The Skaron, sensing a presence hurtling towards it at unimaginable speeds, panicked and desperately tried to leap away, even as its legs were still impaled by the writhing bodies of the villagers. But it was too late.
With a sickening crunch, Nicholas landed upon the Skaron, his blade slicing cleanly through one of its legs. The Skaron bellowed in agony as it stared in horror at the stump where its leg had been, now nothing more than a tangle of muscle and tissue, gushing blood. Its eyes, previously a brilliant emerald green, now turned a deep, bloody red as it frantically scanned the area for its assailant.
"Disgusting. You're really enjoying such havoc aren't you," Nicholas said out loud.
The dust around the surrounding area dissipated, revealing Nicholas standing in an enormous crater as if a meteor had crashed into the earth. He held onto a colossal leg belonging to the creature, blood slowly dripping out onto the ground in thick goops. Nicholas formed a grin on his face, staring at the humongous beast atop the straw house. The villagers who were once evacuating realized that an adversary had arrived to stop the rampaging monster. Their once flushed faces regained colour and they cautiously watched the battle.
"Kill it!" one man shrieked, his voice filled with fear and desperation.
"Save us!" another joined, his voice trembling with terror.
A sly grin spread across Nicholas's lips as he prepared to make his move, to be the hero the village needed.
The Skaron, noticing Nicholas's grin, gnashed its sharp, pointed teeth in fury and flung itself into circles around Nicholas. It moved so fast that it seemed as though it was in multiple places at once, creating the illusion of clones. The villagers watched in horror as the beast displayed its impossible feat, their hope diminishing with every passing moment.
"Haaah... No," murmured several people, realizing they had been holding their breath the entire time.
But Nicholas was not daunted. With a deep laugh, he bellowed,
"Pfft, Hahahaha! That's it? C'mon now, let's stop wasting time!"
Hunching down and sheathing his sword back into the scabbard, Nicholas prepared to face the Skaron head-on. With his strength and skill, he would vanquish the beast and save the village from certain doom.
"I will not fail you," Nicholas pronounced out loud.
"13th movement, Quick scythe slash!"
-Click
Fixing his posture to stand upright, as if he hadn't even unsheathed his blade, the multiple illusions' heads slid clean off, dissipating as the real one was finally able to be made out clearly, with a deep cut inflicted upon its neck.
The Skaron promptly collapsed, blood spritzing out of its neck, allowing the villagers to cheer for their saviour. Many kowtowed and some leaped up to get a clearer view of the hero, while others tended to their friend's and families' wounds and corpses.
An elderly-looking man slowly jostled his way through the crowd towards the man who had graced them with his presence.
"Oh, Your Excellency, I am the head of this shy village. Thank you, we all thank you from the depths of our hearts. Truly, tell us your name as we will pray to the deity that has saved us from the world eater for centuries to come!"
'World eater? I suppose the creature seemed that way to them.'
Nicholas scoffed. The creature was merely a tier 3 Skaron, something, while not to be looked down upon, was still quite weak in terms of strength, at least compared to him.
"My name is Nicholas Akshay, an elder of the Immortal Pride Sect."
"O, an almighty immortal. Truly, I am blessed to see you in my lifetime. Please take anything you may desire, not that we have or ever had much prosperity."
The village was a wasteland of destruction, with houses cleaved in half and entrails smeared across the rubble. The village head, a wily old man, knew that the harsh winter ahead would be an even greater trial for the survivors of this brutal attack. Nicholas watched the old man's desperate attempt to play on the immortal's pity, but he was not so easily swayed. His cold gaze swept across the villagers, taking in their loving and passionate looks when suddenly he froze. Among the people huddled together in fear and mourning, his eyes fell upon a young girl, held in the loving embrace of her mother. And there, within her, he saw something that made his heart race.
A powerful Dantian, dense and full of potential, throbbed within the girl's small frame. Sweat beaded on Nicholas's forehead as he realized the enormity of what he was seeing. He had never encountered such enormous potential within a child, not even in himself. He had seen many powerful prodigies within the other large sects, but none so young and unclaimed as this. This was his chance, his opportunity to recruit a diamond in the rough, a child who, if properly nurtured, could help him lead the Pride Sect to glory once more.
It appeared that there was something he could take from this village.
The village head noticed that Nicholas seemed to be interested in somebody within the crowd and stepped aside, allowing passage for Nicholas to clear a path to the crowd. All the villagers had lived difficult lives, so watching such an elegant figure mesmerized them. All eyes were glued to Nicholas's every step, admiration growing with each one.
Nicholas approached the young girl, his gaze drawn to her fair hair and sapphire blue eyes that shone like precious gems. Though she was but a child of six, with dirt smudging her face and her hair wild and unkempt, her cuteness still protruded through.
The girl's mother could feel her heart pounding with a mixture of excitement, endearment, and confusion as she looked upon the handsome stranger before her. As a widow, she couldn't help but be affected by the overwhelming presence of this man.
"Sir Immortal," she said, her voice trembling. "What do you wish of me?"
Nicholas turned his gaze to the mother, knowing that her approval would be crucial in convincing the girl to come with him. If he were to take her by force, it would only lead to a life of resentment towards the sect.
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"Do you happen to know that your child possesses a Dantian?" he asked, his tone calm and composed. The mother froze, her trembling replaced by a sense of astonishment. The way Nicholas spoke, it was as if he were gifting them with valuable knowledge out of the kindness of his heart.
The villagers were abuzz with whispers and hushed questions as the mysterious figure stood before them, speaking of a dantian. It was a term that was known only to the most learned and wise among them, a legendary instrument said to reside deep within the body of an immortal, granting them the power to cultivate the Dao. It was said that only the chosen few, blessed by the supreme deity, Dao, were born with a dantian, and the odds of finding one were achingly slim, with only one in ten thousand people being so fortunate.
"A...A Dantian?" The young woman asked with a hint of hopefulness in her voice, her eyes wide with wonder and fear. "What does that mean?"
Around her, the other villagers could be heard voicing their own questions, each one more cautious and respectful than the last. They knew that to offend the all-powerful being standing before them could mean a miserable death.
"What will you do with her?" one asked.
"Are you going to take her, oh great one?" another asked.
The villagers were in awe, as the being had the power to grant immortality. They knew that whatever the being was planning to do with the girl, would change her life forever. They were all curious, but none dared to ask.
"If you would permit it, she could become my disciple as I see the tremendous potential within her," Nicholas said.
A large, burly man with similar fair hair limped his way towards Nicholas, with obvious disgust written on his face.
"With all due respect. Mind yer damn business! Tryna steal my girl away from me, bastard?" he said.
Multiple gasps could be heard from the flock of villagers. The village head snapped his neck towards the man who said it, fury and fear were both conjoined for him to yell at the man.
"Samuel, you forsaken fool! Get on yer knees and beg his excellency for a merciful death!"
Nicholas wasn't able to comprehend the man's foolishness. Was he obtuse or was there more to this situation than taken at face value? Was there a reason he would risk his life, clearly believing he was protecting her?
Confused, that he had been made out to be the antagonist, Nicholas pulled his hand from behind his back, thinking of the right words to explain himself as he glared into the air in contemplation, tightly shutting his eyes. -Khhhrrrr All of a sudden, with a deafening roar, the Skaron emerged from behind Nicholas. Its razor-sharp leg blades glinted in the sunlight as it swung horizontally at the immortal, catching him off guard and sending him crashing into the nearby mountain range. The blue lizard with wings, a creature of cunning and malice, had been biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, all the while regenerating its limbs.
The villagers watched in horror as their savior, the one they had put their faith in, was felled so easily by the beast. They stood in disbelief, their hearts heavy with despair, as the Skaron let out a victorious screech and followed Nicholas into the mountains, launching a myriad of blind attacks in pursuit.
But Nicholas was not dead. He lay panting among the rocks and rubble of the mountain range, his body bruised and battered but still alive. "Haah, Haaah, almost got me that time," he muttered to himself, determination etched into his features. With a sudden burst of energy, he emerged from the mountains and appeared behind the Skaron, his robes torn in half and revealing a portion of his waist. He was in an extremely worn-out state, and if any other immortal had seen him, the pride of the Pride sect, losing to a tier 3 Skaron, he would have been humiliated for decades.
But he would not let that happen, not when there was still a chance to turn the tide of the battle and get the girl to the sect.
Pulling out his deep black sword, Nicholas stood in an unbreakable position. He had to end this quickly as he was rapidly growing weaker due to his curse.
"20th movement, Scythe Dragon's soul!"
Nicholas swayed in different directions in a beautiful dance, slowly forming a large silver dragon that wrapped around him in the air. The Skaron's eyes widened as the silver dragon was sent engulfing it and slowly disintegrated it, turning it to dust within moments.
"Wow, It's beautiful."
The young girl's ocean blue eyes simultaneously lit up as the battle only seen within myths and stories, she had just had the privilege of witnessing.
Blood seeped from Nicholas's mouth as he collapsed to the ground, his body wracked with pain. He had used far too much strength in his battle with the Skaron, and now he knew that he was truly useless. Nicholas had left the immortal realm in search of new opportunities in the mortal realm, hoping to find a medicine or herb that would cure his curse.
As he lay on the ground, his mind raced with thoughts and regrets.
'At least I found that girl,' he thought.
"But will she want to join us?" Nicholas thought to himself. "Should I take her by force, knock her out, and wipe out her village? No, she would realize the truth once she grew older and saw all the holes in the story. How should I explain the reason she was the only one who survived?"
But before he could ponder further, he heard a commotion. He squinted his eyes and saw a legion of villagers surrounding him, all of them teary-eyed and emotional. The village doctor was giving instructions to the others, trying to understand the unfathomable steel skin of the immortal.
"What are you doing?" Nicholas asked the young girl who was standing in front of him, cupping her fists in a salute.
"Sir! Please allow me to become your student!" the girl exclaimed, stomping her foot on the ground.
"Huh? Why?" Nicholas asked, confused.
"How could I not, Your Excellency? You risked your life for me, no, for us!" the girl replied, slightly furious.
Nicholas let out a sigh and formed a warm smile. "Sometimes I forget how precious life can be," he thought to himself. And with that, he knew he had found a new purpose. He would take the girl as his student, and together, they would help the Pride Sect flourish.
*****
"What to do? What to do?" Hallow's madly exciting face returned to its original stoic form as he began to contemplate. "Dissect him to find the cause, which could result in a pointless endeavour, or should I continue with the Dantian Transplant, which has never succeeded before?"
Almost as if knowing what Hallow had been thinking, one of the surgeons in the back took the opportunity to suggest their idea, addressing the elephant in the room.
"Dr Hallow, wouldn't it be simpler to attempt the Dantian Transplant, and if unfortunate circumstances occur, we could easily dissect him to find the cause?"
"Interesting... Linda, yes?"
Linda's eyes contracted in caution. This could turn out detrimental to her position if he takes it as disobedience or evidence of her abilities.
"Yes, sir!"
"If we fail the Dantian Transplant, his body would decay rapidly as the energy of the Dantian would be too much for his infant body to handle. We wouldn't have enough time to dissect him."
Linda took a step forward. As an ambitious up-and-coming doctor studying under Hallow, this was finally her chance to prove herself and possibly be given more arduous tasks with higher positions in the future.
"Of course, but I have read up on Dr Hiro's new technique of cell neutralization, which considerably slows certain cells down. Using that, I could slow down the cells in case of failure, providing enough time..."
"For us to discover the cause of failure?" Hallow turned around to look at her, his curious gleam easily penetrating her attempts at composure.
"Y-Yes..."
"Good. Then let's begin."
Having had enough of loitering around, Hallow ended the conversation, barely being able to contain his excitement any longer.
A true expert is a master of their craft, and the only way to achieve such a state is to have a true passion for their art.
"Yes, sir!"
All three surgeons simultaneously nodded, bowing with their hands cupped.
-----
Alexander's Pov:
Growing more and more nervous at the doctor's conversations, sweat began to trickle down the side of my face. "What are they thinking of doing?" This thought reverberated throughout my mind continuously. I was helpless, merely at the mercy of these giants. I wasn't sure where I was, who I was, or why I was. Whenever I began to panic, I would merely remind myself that this was all probably some sort of hallucination created by my consciousness after I was shot. "None of this is real, I'm going to be fine."
The doctors suddenly all nodded toward the older-looking one and promptly began to surround me. Before I was even able to retaliate in any way, they tied me down with metal straps faster than the eye could see. My ankles, wrists, waist, and chest were all tightly locked.
I shut my eyes, reminding myself that all of this was part of my imagination and that none of this was real. Then...
-Stab
"AAAAAH!"
Unexpectedly, I truly was feeling the pain yet still not being sure why and for what reason. I began to shudder, pulling on the straps and attempting to break free forcefully, to no immediate luck.
Realizing that freaking out was pointless, I shut my eyes tight and bit my lip, attempting to take the pain forcefully. Blood began to dribble out. This much pain wasn't something I hadn't faced before in underground arenas, but if this was an operating room, why would they not put me to sleep with anesthetics before beginning the procedure?
"How could any child survive this type of torment?"
Squinting my eyes open, I saw an orb-like object quickly being passed to the older-looking doctor and tucked inside me. 'So that crosses out taking my organs, they're placing stuff inside me instead. Filling me up like I'm a turkey at Thanksgiving.'
Suddenly, I felt an enormous rush of energy and strength throughout my body that kept pumping me like an extra heart.
After an unknown amount of time, I clenched my fists, gnashed my teeth, and tightened my cheeks. The pain slowly began to fade, and the doctors began to back off.
Expecting another round of pain, I was fortunately met with nothing. Steadily, I opened my eyes and relaxed my body. Holding my breath for multiple moments during the operation, I eventually realized that my lightheadedness probably came from that.
Panting, covered in a pool of my sweat, I gazed around myself. I was covered in blood, and stitches wrapped around the middle of my solar plexus, as if I had given birth out of my chest.
"Hahahaha!"
Snapping my head to the left, I ground my teeth, watching the lofty grey-haired man cackling gleefully.
-----
It had worked. After so many long years of research, so many decades of toil and study, he, Dr Stavious Hallow, had finally achieved the impossible. He had successfully performed the first-ever Dantian transplant, and now both realms would never be the same again.
With this breakthrough, the possibilities were endless. Super soldiers and personal elite warriors could be created infinitely, with a little more research. He had proven that it was possible, and now he would be hailed as the greatest doctor to have ever lived.
"What's wrong with a little celebration?" Dr Hallow exclaimed, his eyes alight with triumph as he looked around the room, taking in the awe and excitement of the other doctors, who, though they had contributed to the success, were nowhere near as accomplished as him.
"I'd like to thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your contributions today. Now, let us begin the dissection procedure after analyzing and noting the measurements and sections. Now that it has been a success, the body won't deteriorate and will allow us to serenely dissect him."
Peering down upon the young bedridden infant that was the key to his success, Dr Hallow felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him. This child had been the key to him being able to jump the ranks of the organization and achieve the impossible.
"But most of all, I think we'd all like to thank you for the most," he said, leisurely grinning while stooping down to meet Alexander's hateful eyes towards him.
"Especially me," Hallow whispered, face inches away from Alexander's dawfed helpless figure.
Alexander didn't need to understand what the man was saying to have his blood boiling.