As Vega prepared for the surgery, Viktor waved his hand, and several bottles of crimson potions appeared neatly on a nearby cabinet.

Although this was Vega's first attempt at a modification surgery, Viktor wasn't worried.

He had countless measures to ensure Vanilla's safety.

At this moment, the eyeball Viktor had just taken out floated gently in midair, guided by a stream of black magic.

A silver blade materialized out of thin air and traced along the edge of the eyeball, slicing open a small fissure.

From the crack, wisps of black mist slowly seeped out of the eyeball.

This was the unprocessed magic within the [Hidden Demon Corpse's Eyeball].

If this magic were to come into contact with a person, the consequences could range from losing consciousness to being consumed by the magic and transforming into a demonic entity.

Soon, the crow flapped its wings gracefully, like a conductor leading an orchestra, and made an elegant gesture.

The pitch-black formation beneath their feet began to construct itself gradually.

Intricate patterns spread out of nowhere, climbing onto Vanilla's body and converging at her heart.

Numerous black runes started to pulsate, twisting and etching themselves onto the rings of the formation.

The black mist from the eyeball began to coil around Vega's wings.

Eventually, the entire material shriveled as though all moisture had been drained from it, turning into dust that dissipated into the air.

The black mist followed the patterns, seeped through Vanilla's skin, merged into her bloodstream, and finally entered her heart.

Vanilla's body emitted waves of black smoke, which soon engulfed her entirely.

At this point, Viktor glanced at Vanilla's health bar and her level indicator beneath it.

Due to the enhancement of magic, her level naturally increased.

**LV9.**

"It seems... it worked," Viktor remarked.

He picked up a bottle of red potion and placed it near Vanilla's lips, who had just emerged from the black fog.

Now, all that was left was to wait for her to wake up.

...

"Hmm?"

Vanilla rubbed her temples and slowly sat up.

Her body felt lighter, as if all the impurities had been purged.

Even her vision seemed sharper. She could now lift her head and clearly see the patterns on the walls of the buildings outside the window.

She clenched her fists experimentally, feeling the strength coursing through her limbs. A warm current and the pull of her muscles sent signals to her brain.

Just then, a voice came from beside her.

"Awake?"

Vanilla snapped out of her daze and turned to see the man sitting in the chair next to her.

Viktor had one leg crossed over the other, his hands clasped together, as if patiently waiting for her to regain consciousness.

The black crow perched on Viktor's shoulder was leisurely preening its feathers.

Vanilla blinked, and in her post-coma haze, she suddenly became alert, covering her small mouth in surprise.

She remembered that before she lost consciousness, her master had been by her side.

Could it be... that her master had done something to her?

At this moment, Viktor stood up, hands in his pockets, and scrutinized Vanilla from head to toe.

Her pupils were no longer the simple cat eyes they used to be. Beneath the vertical slits, there was now a faint circular pattern that contracted and expanded continuously.

Under Viktor's unwavering gaze, Vanilla became a little bashful, lowering her head in embarrassment.

"How do you feel?" Viktor finally asked.

Vanilla responded, "Pretty good! My body feels so light!"

Viktor nodded in approval.

Although the procedure was akin to a demonic modification surgery, demons were essentially beings formed from concentrated magic.

Strictly speaking, using materials from demons for such surgeries was more about absorbing and processing their magic.

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The benefit was that the subject could gain some of the demon's abilities, similar to how Sapphirose possessed an array of demonic skills.

After all, this technique was derived from Sapphirose.

The difference was that Sapphirose could assimilate demonic abilities simply by consuming them.

Vanilla, on the other hand, required Vega's stolen stitching technique from Sapphirose to achieve the same effect.

Moreover, the compatibility of the demon materials was crucial for the successful assimilation of their abilities.

Regarding this technique, Vega had expressed that it was not a researcher and that achieving this level was already commendable. It even requested an extra meal as a reward from Viktor.

Since the modification was a success, it was time to test the results.

Viktor snapped his fingers, and suddenly, a gust of wind swept past the window.

Vanilla's eyes widened as she felt the surge of magic rushing toward her.

In the next moment, a massive blue formation appeared beneath Viktor's feet.

"Follow me," Viktor said.

As his voice fell, beams of blue light enveloped the two of them and the crow, dissolving into ripples that vanished into the air.

...

Several blue streaks pierced through the clouds and descended toward the earth.

In a dense forest, the blue lines landed on a lush green meadow.

Moonlight filtered through the gently swaying leaves, casting its glow on Vanilla.

This was the "Azure Demon Forest," a grinding spot outside the royal capital.

A cold breeze blew through, causing Vanilla's fur to bristle slightly. She instinctively clung to Viktor, wrapping herself around him.

Her ears stood upright, and her fur puffed up.

She looked just like a frightened kitten, clinging tightly to Viktor for safety.

"Don't be afraid. Open your eyes," Viktor said in a soothing tone.

Hearing his calm voice, Vanilla slowly opened her eyes.

Her pupils, now glowing brightly in the darkness, reflected the starlight in her gaze, like tiny galaxies swirling in her eyes.

She slowly released Viktor and took a cautious look around the forest, noting that no monsters seemed to be present.

"Now, try out your new magic," Viktor said calmly.

Vanilla tilted her head in confusion.

New magic?

When did she learn new magic?

Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind, as if something was guiding her on what to do.

Her body moved on its own.

It was as if her eyes were driving her instincts. Vanilla crouched low, and her vision transformed completely.

In her sight, the entire forest was shrouded in darkness, with only a few colorful spots hidden within.

She immediately recognized those colorful spots.

They were the monsters lurking in the woods.

As soon as she crouched, her body began to swell slightly, radiating a powerful and overwhelming aura.

A sharp, piercing roar erupted from her, accompanied by a storm-like force that snapped countless massive trees in half and drove them deep into the earth.

Wood splinters and mud flew everywhere, filling the air with a strong scent of vegetation.

As the trees toppled, several small monsters were exposed in the open.

Feeling terrified, they didn't dare to look at Vanilla. They immediately turned and fled, slipping and scrambling in their haste.

Vanilla was stunned.

The explosive destruction in front of her... was caused by her?

At that moment, her mind was blank.

The next second, her body felt completely drained. A strong sense of fatigue overwhelmed her, and she nearly collapsed.

Fortunately, a white gust of magic descended. Viktor cast a wind spell, cushioning her body with a gentle breeze.

Having expended too much magic at once, her body couldn't adapt and she fainted.

Viktor stepped forward and picked up the unconscious little catgirl in his arms.

He was quite satisfied with Vanilla's performance.

The abilities she had just displayed were the [Detection] and [Roar] skills from the Hidden Demon Corpse.

Strictly speaking, these weren't magic spells.

They were **skills**.

The power of these skills was impressive. Even for a magic apprentice like Vanilla, the damage she caused was comparable to that of a first- or second-tier mage.

The experiment concluded, Viktor carried Vanilla in his arms. A glow appeared beneath his feet, and the two of them vanished once again.

After they left, the monsters in the forest, sensing that the overwhelming aura had disappeared, cautiously emerged.

They stood atop the shattered trees, howling at the moon as if to bolster their courage.

...

Viktor quietly exited Vanilla's room and closed the door behind him.

A cloud drifted past the moon, casting its pale light on his black coat.

As he turned around, he saw Lia standing nearby.

She crossed her arms and looked at Viktor with a calm yet chilling gaze.

Even in the dark, the moonlight reflected in her eyes made them appear bright and piercing.

"Viktor," Lia said, her voice eerily composed as she locked eyes with him. "Since when have humans no longer been enough for you?"

...

"Oh, I see! That scared me for a second," Lia exclaimed in the study, one hand on her hip and the other patting her chest as if relieved.

When the servants mentioned hearing loud noises from Vanilla's room, Lia had been confused and concerned.

Since she had something to discuss with Viktor, she decided to check it out.

She happened to run into Viktor at Vanilla's door.

Seeing him leave a young girl's room late at night could easily lead to misunderstandings.

Especially since Lia had teased Viktor earlier in the day, she couldn't help but jump to conclusions, thinking Viktor had done something inappropriate.

Setting aside whether Vanilla was underage, even if the catgirl was stunningly beautiful...

She was still a demi-human!

Lia had been genuinely worried that Viktor might go down the wrong path. Fortunately, she remained calm enough to hear his explanation.

He claimed he was teaching Vanilla magic.

Relieved, Lia believed him.

At least, teaching magic was a far better explanation than anything untoward.

Still, Lia couldn't help but add, "Viktor, if you're having trouble holding back, just let me know. I'll come up with a solution for you."

"Just don't do anything you shouldn't with minors or demi-humans!"