Ch.8 The First Demi-human

"How far are you willing to sacrifice for power?"

Aamon's statement woke up the extinguished fire that had longed killed by circumstances Huo Qiang faced to survive.

Especially, when mentions his enemies,

Huo Qiang remembers the face of the bastard noble who destroyed his life, and anger rose in his heart.

He is willing!

He will sacrifice anything just to get revenge!

"...what do I need to do?"

Aamon's lip arched a bit, a faint smile hearing Huo Qiang's answer.

"Good,"

"But beware"

"It will hurt"

Determined to try the fruit of his labor, Aamon warned the man, not wanting him to die mid-operation.

"I am ready!"

Likewise, Huo Qiang is very determined, his hunger for power overrides his common sense.

Whatever the reason, thinking straight or not, Aamon didn't care as they went to his 'private lab'.

It is the cave where Aamon does most of his experiments, it's a perfect place because it's secluded, and no one knows what happens inside.

The two didn't talk, only their footsteps were the sound inside the dim cave.

But as they got closer to the end of the tunnel, Huo Qiang could hear a soft thudding sound.

"What is that?"

"Someone."

With a simple answer, Aamon continued walking, not interested in further conversation.

'Someone?!'

Hou Qiang shuddered at Aamon's answer, fear engulfed his whole body but backing out wasn't an option anymore.

So he steels his resolve, he will see this to the end whatever might happen to him.

They soon arrived at their destination, observing the spacious area, Huo Qiang found nothing unusual, much to his relief.

"Let's start"

Without wasting any seconds, Aamon started the procedure, not waiting for the man's response.

Much to Huo Qiang's horrified eyes, his body became paralyzed,

No matter how much he tried, it wouldn't move.

"Insignia"

A strong surge of Soul Power got out of control, it was Huo Qiang's as it enveloped his whole body.

The imprinting is starting,

But instead of letting the process be like usual, Aamon weaves his soul power.

With perfect control over his soul power, he 'grasped' Dark Blood Bat and forcefully fused it to its owner.

"ARGHH!!!"

"AHHHH!!!"

This process is very painful, as his genes were being replaced with his martial soul,

"AHHHHHH!!!" The man screams at the top of his lungs.

Blood drips from his eyes, nose, and ears,

The process was painfully slow,

On the outside, the sun rose and set, but the scream inside the cave continued.

In the middle of the night, in a cave that nobody knows, a new sub-species has been born!

With a devilish smile, Aamon's eyes were glued to his masterpiece,

The first of its kind,

Huo Qiang, the first demi-human.

The man of honor himself, however, has lost consciousness after a gruesome whole day of suffering.

Aamon lets the man sleep as he quietly exits the cave.

On the next day, Aamon came back to the bewildered Huo Qiang.

The latter just woke up and instantly noticed a change in his body.

His skin turns pale, his senses have improved by a notch, especially his hearing, and he notices a slight growth of fangs in his teeth.

[Pick Here]

Much to his relief, Aamon explains the changes in his body.

"By fusing with your martial soul, your body undergoes a major transformation."

"I'm sure you've noticed by now some of the changes."

"But that's not all."

Brow frowning, Huo Qiang was confused at Aamon's last statement,

"I don't know how it works."

Aamon shrugs his shoulders, how can he know,

It wasn't he who underwent the transfiguration.

"Just feel it, something within you, then let it out."

Huo Qiang listens to Aamon's guide, as he closes his eyes and senses any changes within him.

'This...'

He noticed a new-found feeling as if he had a switch within him.

Not letting Aamon wait any more seconds, he 'turned' the switch.

"What...."

Wings sprouted off his back and the fangs in his mouth grew to about 2 inches, and the last key change in his appearance is his now pointy ears.

This is the result of their experiment,

Which gives Huo Qiang the ability to turn into a semi-state of his martial soul biologically.

Right now, he is half-human and half Vampire Elf.

That's right, not Dark-blood Bat but Vampire Elf,

Because of insignia, Huo Qiang's martial soul received the bloodline of dark elves,

A creature known for their cruel and barbaric personality, but also their talent for magic.

This is only possible because of Chimera's soul, where the genes of all races can be found.

Back to Huo Qiang,

With his martial soul inheriting dark elves' genes,

It evolves just like those before him and becomes a Vampiric Elf.

The 'synchronization' as Aamon calls it also increases the compatibility between the human and his/her martial soul.

Unfortunately, semi-transformation is the limit, achieving full transformation also means turning Huo Qiang into a full Vampiric Elf.

Still, if Aamon was asked, semi-transformation is the best,

Right now, Huo Qiang possesses not just the typical strength of a soul master, but also the strength of a soul beast.

With the operation being a success, Aamon ordered Huo Qiang to head back to the village and wait for his order.

With Huo Qiang gone, Aamon is all alone in the cave, or not.

"I almost forget you."

Aamon said, softly, as he arrived at a hidden chamber inside the cave.

Inside, was the drunk man who became Aamon's test subject.

The man was beyond recognition, and couldn't even be called human anymore.

"It was a success, we did it."

"Your sacrifices were worth it."

Aamon reported, in a calm voice, gazing at the abomination he created with pitied eyes, even when knowing that what he's talking to can no longer understand or reply to what he's saying.

"I am sorry, I truly am."

"Don't worry, I will release you from your suffering."

"Promise me you won't be a waste drunkard anymore, okay?"

With that said, Aamon swiftly the life of the pitiful man, ending his misery for good.

"Urgh, what a bad taste in the mouth."

Aamon mumbled as he left the cave, remembering the person he despite so much in his previous life.