Chapter 148: Magic-Patterned Set

Etching magic runes onto one's own body is no simple task!

Special rune materials, a magic rune master with extraordinary talent, and exclusive inscription experience and techniques—every single one of these is indispensable, yet Greem possessed none of them.

Inside the alchemy laboratory of the Swamp Tower.

Dozens of illumination crystals lit up the room brilliantly, leaving not a single shadow. Unlike his usual routine of standing before the operating table, Greem was lying flat on the alchemy platform. Today, he was the operator, and today, the subject of the refinement was himself as well!

Lacking the special materials required for rune inscription, Greem had no choice but to use the method of crafting magical puppets to carve the runes; lacking a specialized rune master, Greem had to take matters into his own hands and carve them himself; lacking generations of accumulated experience and techniques in rune inscription, everything relied entirely on the Chip's optimal combination configurations and mental simulation experiments...

Today, Greem was destined to be like a young bull breaking into a china shop, smashing all the jars and pots representing past experiences and rules to the ground, and then forging a path entirely his own.

During the normal process of rune inscription, a rune master typically requires the assistance of certain drugs to suppress the localized flesh-and-blood recovery ability of the subject. This is because any fully functional rune array is composed of hundreds or even thousands of runes and magical lines. If dealing with someone of high constitution, by the time the final rune line is finished, the very first rune line would have already completely healed itself.

This could utterly ruin the entire rune inscription process!

Therefore, using special drugs to anesthetize and suppress the subject's localized flesh-and-blood recovery ability, utilizing meticulously prepared rune materials to corrode the corresponding runes onto the subject's body surface, and then connecting them to the magical energy organs within the subject's body—this was the theoretical foundation by which magic runes could stimulate the human body and awaken special abilities.

It was precisely because the process of rune inscription was so complex and trivial that the importance of a rune master became prominent. Some individuals, eager to save a large sum of magic crystals, delusionally attempted to use the simplest method to draw magic runes on themselves. Such runes might remain effective for a short time, but as the body healed itself, all external alterations would eventually fade away.

Very soon, they would discover that their efforts were all for naught. Not only would the magic runes fail to become permanently solidified, but they would also have to pay a hefty price in material costs.

Unfortunately, the Balrog Transformation magic rune set that Greem had customized for himself fell squarely into this category. However, relying on his exceptionally high degree of control over his fiery physique, this process of failure would certainly be delayed. Besides, he did not expect this rune set to remain permanently effective; as long as it could endure this "ordeal," that would be enough.

Greem lay flat on the alchemy platform and activated the alchemy device using his mental power.

As needle-thin, scorching rays struck his body, Greem smelled the acrid odor of burning muscle and fat and heard the sizzling sound of boiling grease. The beams slowly swept across the surface of his body, charring his skin black and leaving behind shallow pits.

Greem endured the burning of the beams with a blank expression, while exerting his utmost effort to suppress his fiery physique's instinctive defense and counterattack against the scorching rays, all while reining in the recovery speed of his flesh-and-blood regeneration. Taking advantage of the fact that those shallow pits had not yet healed, Greem directed another alchemy arm to inject the pre-prepared filler into them.

For a time, the sizzling, strange noise of the beams burning flesh and the pungent stench emitted by the special filler as it slowly corroded the flesh filled the entire alchemy laboratory, making one feel momentarily as though they had arrived in a dark and ugly execution chamber!

Inscribing a rune array with complex, obscure runes and numerous winding lines onto a specific part of the body, while ensuring that the core nodes of the rune array completely coincided with the body's own magical energy points—any deviation whatsoever during this process could result in the scrapping of the entire rune array.

Therefore, even though the excruciating pain on the surface of his body continuously stimulated his nerves, Greem watched with an unchanging expression as the points of light danced across his skin, observing the entire process of his skin turning red, softening, collapsing, blackening, and turning into charcoal.

The fourteen rune arrays covering his body were each independent entities, possessing the effect of stimulating localized bodily functions. Yet once they were connected and activated, they could combine into an exceptionally complex, profound, and mysterious magic rune set—the Balrog Transformation.

This was also the fire-type spell advancement direction that Greem had set for himself!

A Balrog was a terrifying abyssal creature from the lower planes, typically possessing a towering and mighty physique, though their combat prowess derived far more from their matchless and terrifying flame power. Once enraged, their entire bodies would blaze into terrifying firemen, and any living entity approaching their bodies would have to endure continuous fire damage.

Without exceptionally high fire resistance, ordinary enemies would not even qualify to battle one, as they would be continuously scorched by the flames into a pile of charcoal. As for those enemies qualified to stand before a Balrog, they would have to face overwhelming, berserk fire-type spell-like abilities, coupled with the Balrog's hand-to-hand combat skills, which were no less formidable than those of ordinary demons.

Balrogs might not be the strongest among fire-type masters, but they were undoubtedly the most elite group when it comes to fire-type spell-like abilities. Therefore, the fourteen rune arrays Greem inscribed on his body were meant to fully stimulate his potential and simulate a portion of a Balrog's abilities.

This was also the main reason why this set of magic runes was called the Balrog Transformation!

Of course, this was, after all, merely Greem's initial assumptions and conjectures; if he truly wanted to make his Balrog Transformation live up to its name, traveling to the lower planes to slay and dissect a Balrog would be the most direct path. For now, all he could achieve was imitation and improvement.

The process of inscribing the magic runes lasted a full day and night, and it wasn't until noon the following day that Greem dragged his exhausted body back to his quarters. Waiting for him there was Mary, who had just returned from outside.

Seeing Greem looking utterly exhausted yet still forcing himself to maintain composure, a look of sorrow appeared on Mary's travel-worn, pretty face.

Tending to Greem as he lay down on the bed, Mary stroked his face and said softly, "Get some good sleep! I will keep watch here for you."

Greem managed a faint smile, then immediately drifted into a deep sleep.

…………

In another room.

Within a pale, transparent force-field barrier, Alice was affectionately playing with the wizard-grade elemental core. Under the soft, bright light of the illumination crystals, the fist-sized transparent core emitted a soul-captivating brilliance.

Every time the angle shifted, the transparent core projected a dazzling, colorful yet uniquely beautiful halo. Alice's gaze lingered within it, revealing an intoxicated and infatuated expression, unable to pull herself away for a long time. With her vision, she could naturally observe down to the finest detail the hair-thin, complex, and profound mysterious wizard array engraved on the surface of the core.

Viewed from any angle, this was a magnificent work of art created by divine craftsmanship.

Utilizing exquisite wizard array designs to guide and stimulate the special power within the elemental core, combined with the vast elemental energy gathered from the outside world—thus, a terrifying wizard-grade elemental puppet capable of destroying heaven and earth was born just like that!

The moment she remembered that she had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of such a crystal-clear, incredibly beautiful little trinket, an inexplicable anger welled up within Alice's heart. However, in the next instant, this anger melted away bit by bit amidst the hazy, fantastical elemental halo of the elemental core.

Right, I also promised that scu—cough... that master one thing, it looks like I need to hurry up and practice it!

As Alice rolled around on the bed with zero regard for her image, she slowly extended her mental power and, through the trace of mental resonance brought by the wizard contract deep within her soul, silently pinpointed the other person's location.

That... within his quarters, the comprehensive defense was not activated, and his mental state appeared sluggish and deep; he must be sleeping. Wow, isn't this the best opportunity? All I need to do is transmit an item into his hands, and this precious treasure will get to stay with me for a few more days!

Filled with excitement and elation, Alice reached out and drew a spell sign in the void, then pulled out an earring and tossed it through. The spell sign was enveloped by an exceptionally complex wizard ring, and as the earring passed through it as if stepping through a layer of transparent water-mirror, it vanished in an instant.

Meanwhile, in the other room, hazy spell signs suddenly appeared in Greem's right hand. As the runes vibrated, an exquisite earring slowly pierced through the void, about to fall into Greem's hand in the next moment.

Snap.

Mary gently flicked her wrist, and the earring instantly flew off into the corner of the room.

"Annoying, it's that little girl again! Hmph, sneaking over an earring—at first glance, she's up to no good."

The moment the earring was swatted away, Alice sensed it immediately.

"Huh, what's going on? It was clearly about to succeed; why was it suddenly batted away? Could this be some new type of defense mechanism? No way, I'll try again!"

And so, unsurprisingly, for the second time, the third time... all of Alice's attempts were interrupted by some inexplicable defense mechanism. This only served to further ignite her competitive spirit.

"What on earth is going on? That guy is clearly fast asleep, so why is he still exhibiting such bizarre defensive measures? You're forcing my hand!"

Gritting her teeth, Alice rapidly waved her hands in the air, activating four spatial spell signs simultaneously. Yet before she could transmit the items across, these four spatial spell signs that had materialized at various parts of Greem's body simultaneously flickered out of existence.

Damn it, you are challenging me!

Her competitive spirit thoroughly aroused, Alice immediately began continuous attempts, yet every single time she was thwarted without exception. This drove her to the absolute peak of her anger, prompting her to try even harder.

Back in Greem's quarters, Mary yawned and stretched lazily while rapidly poking and stabbing the air with her finger. Any spatial spell sign that had just formed, before it could establish a stable miniature spatial passage with the distant end, would be punctured by Mary's finger, which was infused with blood-line energy.

And thus, completely unbeknownst to her, Alice had wound up playing a game of cat and mouse with Mary!