Noah didn’t argue further, simply following behind her as she led the way.

The path took some turns, going down through streets and stairs until the tall buildings and the surrounding walls left the ground covered in shadows entirely. The bottom sections of Windrest were a lot filthier in comparison.

Aurelia continued to make her way through the city, when finally, she walked through the last alley. A dirty cracked door was in front of her, and she knocked it thrice in a specific rhythm.

A click came from behind the door, as a man wearing a cloak opened the gate, glancing at her. He stood hunched, a lamp in his hand, with crooked teeth and a scar running down his left eye as he glanced at Noah. “Who’s this?”

“My companion. Is the doc here?” Aurelia asked.

“First the fee,” the man said, spit flying as he spoke.

Aurelia handed him three cores, and he pocketed them instantly, before stepping back.

“He’s inside, working,” the man said.

Noah followed Aurelia in, wondering just what kind of place she’d brought him to. Within the house was a home lit up with crystal balls that reminded him of modern lighting. The chambers were far cleaner than the streets outside, and he could see people walking around.

“This is a hospital?” Noah asked.

“That’s one purpose this place serves,” Aurelia said, frowning as she glanced through a corridor ahead.

Looking further, Noah spotted scantily dressed women, some with wings on their bodies, or horns as smoke filled the chamber.

“Wait… are we in a brothel?”

“No, but we’re behind one. A lot of diseases can’t be fixed with healing potions, so you need healers and doctors. And… this place has a taste for grafted women.”

“Grafted women?”

“Some call them angels. They get their flesh modified, artificially changed, and often with other features attached for beauty. But it’s a process that shortens their lifespan, often killing them at a fairly young age,” Aurelia said.

A woman walked out of the door, covering her chest with a jacket, but Noah noted dark patch marks on her body, like deep scars or gashes.

“Come on,” Aurelia said, opening the door, as she walked in. “Doc,” she greeted.

The doctor, to Noah’s surprise, was a young man who looked roughly his own age. Well built with a beautiful symmetric face and deep green eyes, he could easily pass for a prince.

[Surgical Flesh Grafter - ??]

“Ah, firebird. Long time no see,” the man said, before his eyes went to Noah. “Your new companion?”

“For the moment. He needs your expertise,” she said, before glancing at Noah.

He stared at Aurelia, walking closer. “I’ve got some issues with soul strain and need my body to catch up within a week.”

The man looked at Noah, before glancing back at Aurelia for a moment in confusion. “I’m afraid this isn’t a training center. Neither do I do miracles. Maybe pray to a god,” the doctor said.

“I’m afraid most gods won’t like me much,” Noah said, before pulling up the sleeves on his arm. Claws extended from his fingers as he presented it to the man in front of him.

“What did you do?” he moved closer, touching his arm. “It’s… perfect. A perfect attachment. What kind of master grafter has created this? There is no seam, no lines, no tissue scars, nothing. It’s as if you were born with this arm,” the Doc said, his voice shaking in reverence.

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“You can thank this little guy for that,” Noah said, as Tony detatched from the ring and flew around in circles.

“What in the-” the Doc stumbled back as the demon flew in his face. “What is that?”

“An Abyssal Symbiote. It’s what I put in my arm when it got cut off before reattaching. He did the rest,” Noah said.

“You did… how are you alive? The cost on your life will be enough to drain you,” the Doc asked.

“I’ve got some abilities that help me with that,” Noah replied.

The Doc stared at Noah before turning towards Aurelia with a frown. “You brought him here on purpose didn’t you?”

“The question isn’t that, but whether you can help him or not. You still owe me from last time,” Aurelia said, as embers and ash swirled around her body.

The man looked displeased, but his attention once again returned to Noah. “I do think I can. I’ve never done this before of course, but with this… it might be possible.”

“How long?” Aurelia asked.

“At least three days. Possibly a week. I’ll give it sixty percent chances that he survives. That’s only because he’s still walking with an Abyssal creature inside of him,” Doc said, glancing at Noah. “The rest will depend on him. There’s a chance that he’ll survive but his mind won’t. I’ve seen people break over less.”

Aurelia glanced at Noah. “Are you sure you want to do this Noah?” she asked.

Noah frowned, closing his eyes. He took a deep shuddering breath, before opening them. Looking at the Doc, he met his eyes. “I’ll do it.”

Doc nodded, before heading out. Noah heard footsteps, hearing people walking out, before the man came back and closed the doors behind him. “I’ll still be charging you for this,” the man said.

“You’ll level up at least twice if you manage this and you know that,” Aurelia replied.

“Doesn’t matter, and get out. He won’t be walking anytime soon, so leave now before he starts screaming. Don’t come back until tomorrow,” Doc said.

“I’m not liking all this mention of pain. Why will I be screaming?”

“Because you’re asking me to rebuild your body from the ground up. Those scars- crimson rot? You’ve put yourself through a lot and your body is showing the marks. To do what you want, I’ll need to break your body down first before rebuilding it,” Doc said, walking around the chamber and changing the setup.

Aurelia glanced at Noah, before nodding. “I’ll be back tomorrow. You can trust the Doc for now.”

Noah returned a nod as well, before watching Aurelia walk out.

“Remove your clothes,” the Doc said.

“Umm… okay,” Noah said, taking off his shirt. A moment later, he removed his pants as well, standing in his shorts. Doc glanced towards him for a moment before walking closer. The man put a needle into Noah’s arm, pinching him. “Tell your creature to move onto this needle.”

Noah asked Tony to move, and dark slimy goop covered the needle as Doc pulled it out, transferring to a plate.

“Now lie down on your stomach here,” the man instructed, and Noah walked up to the bed with plain white sheets, before laying down on it. A strange sensation filled him as he remained prone on the bed. A moment later, a pinch came at his neck as he felt Tony shifting around near the area.

“Bite this,” the doc said, handing him a cylindrical piece of wood.

Noah looked at the item, before glancing at the man. “What’re we trying to do here?” he asked, starting to feel more and more nervous about this.

“Like I said, we’ll break you down. First, I’ll break your bones, slowly, inch by inch. Then your muscles and tendons, as I make my way upwards and outwards frying your nerves. From the bottom of your toes to the top of your head, and each strand of hair. Everything in your body, every area that you know, will hurt before being reconstructed again. And we can’t numb it. The creature shares your senses, it needs to know what to do and numbing the pain will not allow it to. So, if you don’t want to bite your tongue off, bite that instead,” Doc said.

Noah turned, starting to have second thoughts about his choice as he bit on the piece of wood. But before he could protest, he felt chains on his arms tying him down to the table. “So that you don’t kick me or try to kill me. Which I’m almost certain you will,” the Doc said, tying a piece of cloth around Noah’s arm.

A moment later, he crouched down, reaching eye-level for Noah. “You will hate me. Perhaps forever, more than any man you could know. Hate me all you want, but trust me, when you stand again, there will not be a human body more perfect than yours in existence.”

The Doc’s voice shuddered, almost as if in ecstasy at the vision. A moment later, he stood up walking around the area as he took off his shirt.

“Don’t resist my abilities,” he said.

[Greater Regeneration] has been applied.

[Flesh Morphing] has been applied.

[Ray of Hope] has been applied.

Noah felt the abilities wash over him, his body reacting to them. He could feel Tony shifting around as well, slowly spreading across his body.

“This will hurt. Tell your creature to be ready and to follow my lead,” Doc said, pressing an arm on his leg. “I’ll count to three before I start, so brace yourself.”

Noah let out a grunt, mentally sending a command to Tony. Feeling his heart beating, he waited for the words to come.

“Three!” the doc said, as words flashed in front of Noah’s eyes.

[Bone Crusher] has been applied.

Critical Damage!

You’ve gained [Fracture - V].