"Injecting Mana into your body to construct Enhancement, Hardening, Healing, and other effects has circumvented a prolonged external collection of Mana. Quite a clever idea indeed."
Lifting his right hand to suspend the eager Elves momentarily, Li Lin concealed his sarcastic response within a seemingly approving remark, baiting the utterly clueless Qiao Li to continue displaying his vulgar boast:
"Exactly, my Enhancement Series' Magic, Thought-responsive Muscles, is much more practical for real combat than the Transformation Series' magic of Mana accumulation through recitation of incantations. You can't feel the thrill of ripping a human body apart with the time and energy consuming Transformation series. Hahaha!!!"
"Uh... Enhancement Series? Transformation Series? What are you and the baldy talking about?"
"I am not bald! This is a deliberate shave! You countryside hick who doesn't even know basic magic knowledge!!!"
"Well... there's not much to discuss about the difference between being bald and being shaved, both have no hair on the head. Pay attention, Freya. Magic is generally classified into three categories, namely: Transformation Series uses external Mana accumulation to affect phenomena; Enhancement Series infuses Mana into the body for storage and usage; and Manipulation Series intervenes in the psychic domain via Mana (Note). The bald man's trick is to use Mana to amplify the hardness of the skin and the strength of the muscles, quite advanced for beginners."
Interrupting Freya's provocations, Li Lin simplified the explanation to cater even to those unfamiliar with magic. After responding to the confused expressions of the Elves with a weary sigh, he cast a contemptuous glare at Qiao Li.
"Somehow you have to resort to such trickery when competing against kids, very impressive."
"Are you going to lecture me? Little brat, should I drag your mother here while you sob and plead?"
The boy being hit by the vile outbursts combed his fringe, rested his right elbow in his left hand, traced his clean chin with his curvaceous index finger, and the chilling grin on his face exerted an overpowering sense of dominance.
"Instead of blabbering with you, it's the lining inside your leather armor that makes me curious."
His icy intent eyes narrowed, as his emotionless cold remark echoed in everyone's eardrums.
"That— it's human skin, isn't it? And it's probably made from children's skin, right?"
The marketplace, once filled with whispers, suddenly fell into a dead silence where the sound of a pin dropping could be heard. Incredulous, fear-ridden, furious, and hateful gazes were all focused on the leather armor.
"The skin of a child is very tender, and it feels magnificent to wear it against your skin. Most importantly— there's an indescribable joy in skinning it yourself."
Kids are adorable, and all Wisdom Species express a certain degree of affection for their cute offspring.
Qiao Li's way of expressing it is having kids with him— forever.
"They were crying and begging me to show mercy and let them go. So cute! Too cute! I wanted to spare them, but then—how could I? Their skin, so cute, so smooth! The screams of terror as their skin were peeled halfway off were even more spectacular than the choir's performance. Hahaha!!!"
The lascivious tongue licking the lips, crawled out from the despicable smile. Qiao Li's behaviour veered far from the ethical boundaries a human should abide by, just being the embodiment of a twisted bloodlust. He captured innocent prey, reveled in the cries of children and derived pleasure out of spreading terror.
What stood before their eyes was merely a creature in human flesh, an animal skinning a human.
"I see, a beast without a trace of guilt."
There was no anger, nor any derogatory comments. Only a top-down scornful look at the overjoyed beast.
"Quit yakking!"
The beast stomped on the ground violently, leaving shallow prints. The fury bubbled up from under its menacing smile, the muscles in its body were once again amplified, and the beast's physique grew to an exaggerated extent.
"Thinking you're so great, do you think you can replace the old sages at the National Magic Academy? They once disdained my superior combat skills and talents, but here, they cannot interfere with the Black Market. Here, violence is law, the only rule! All is ruled by fists and daggers! With my Thought-responsive Muscles, no one can touch me for killing and skinning! Those weaker than me must obey, they'll become my food, my collection! Hahaha!! Even those self-righteous old geezers are helpless against me!!!"
"Ha... you're actually worthless, brainless, and hence driven out here. Trash."
His sharp tongue pierced the profane laughter, mockingly putting an end to the sound of demented laughter. The infuriated and colossal figure lunged towards the boy, who stood there with his arms folded and a smirk on his face.
"You, you, you, you, you!!! There are things you can and can't say!!!"
Preparing to rush and crush Li Lin like squishing a bug, crush his audacious face—merging it with faces of the condescending old faces at the academy. The massive figure felt a chill, a strange numbing sensation spread through the body, rendering it unable to even stretch a finger outward. From the corner of the eyes, it spotted a blue flash.
"What... What is this?!"
The terror-stricken question blurted out involuntarily, a radial blue-white coronal glow erupted within a 2-metre radius from Qiao Li. The glow flickered like fire, but it was not fire as there was no change in the environment, no smell of burning, and despite Qiao Li's terror-stricken face, no cry of pain was heard.
The spectators, along with Qiao Li, lacked the foundational knowledge of natural sciences. In the realm of Welt, where magic dominates, no one jumped out to analyze and understand what is "electrical discharge" or "St. Elmo's Fire" (Note 2). Being bald, Qiao Li couldn't demonstrate the important sign of discharge "hair-raising". Through the paralyzed body, the knowledge he retained from magic school might leave him guessing this is a method related to thunder magic. Any deeper understanding of the principles and truths was beyond his comprehension.
That enigmatically dazzling, cold flame was a death warrant issued by the Grim Reaper—an invitation to hell.
"Baldy, your nonsense makes me feel at ease. Dealing with a scumbag who kills children poses absolutely no problem either sociologically or personally."
The sneer was wiped off his face, and the icy expression, devoid of any warmth, made everyone present feel an inexplicable fear.
There was no anger, no insults, not even emotions. The godlike aura was frightening to an extent.
It was a look of "nothingness", an expression exclusive to Li Lin—the artificially created life form.
"You...you... You're a Transformation Series user…"
"Who knows? Ask someone else about it in the next world. Perhaps the children you killed could tell you. But as for now, you have absolutely nothing to do with it."
His past experiences, as well as others', were stripped away from his genes before he was even born, preventing any feelings of anger, insult, and sadness. He could only understand "emotions" in terms of data and text. The artificial being switched the whip from his right hand to his left and continually spoke in an emotionless tone, leaving Qiao Li trembling with fear.
The bald man finally remembered that he, too, was capable of trembling, and could feel the same fear as those crying and begging children.
"Please... spare me..."
The bald man spouted a very familiar line, but he could not remember which child or children had said it, and when. In the midst of his chaotic thoughts, faces of joy and innocence that he could not recognize invaded his hallucinations.
"I don't believe in the existence of Heaven or Hell. No matter the race or status, nowhere can one go after death. It's just dust to dust, ashes to ashes."
The pallid flame-like light began to flutter and leap abruptly. Under Li Lin's control, the mana had gathered a lethal potential difference, and complicated glowing geometric patterns began to appear on the ground.
"This has nothing to do with revenge or any enmity between you and me. I'm simply using your laws, executing judgment on you, and punishing you under your own rules. That's all."
Li Lin snapped his fingers, held at the height of his cheek, and the corona discharge dramatically shifted from leaping to exploding. Qiao Li, who was about to say something, suddenly felt an abnormal pressure within his body, and "something" inside him began to swell. His body—every inch of his skin and each hair strand— faithfully complied with the dreadful "feeling" and began to enlarge rapidly. His bowels surged up his esophagus, obstructing his throat that was about to vociferate for mercy. When Qiao Li saw the blood vividly gushing out of the cracked skin let alone screaminig his last words, his mind ceased to function. His microwaved brain was unable to process the sight of his bloating body about to burst, and after a dull rupture, the misshapen figure burst everywhere.
No one could say a word. No one could praise. Faced with the brutal sight beyond their imagination and understanding, people were at a loss for words. On the other hand, the newcomer didn't do anything wrong or have unnecessary thoughts. He was merely following the ancient rules of the Black Market.
Survival of the fittest—a simple rule that has never been forgotten.
No fairness, no justice, no revenge.
Just a pure elimination plan against the weak.
It's just that. Nothing more.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Narrator's Theater.
Nidhogg: Hahaha! Our dear Li Lin has finally lost his temper!
Li Lin: I was just warming up... the real exercise hasn't even started...
Nidhogg: What a pity! The readers must think it's a pity too, just like me. You should have at least used some weapons of mass destruction!
Li Lin: Which wealthy reader would have that requirement?
Nidhogg: Right, some readers are hoping for a further detailed explanation of the Magic Series!
Li Lin: It's actually quite simple. The Transformation Series controls and uses mana to manifest natural phenomena. Spells like fireballs and ice columns belong to this system. The Enhancement Series channels mana into the body and amplifies it. Healing, speed enhancement, and muscle strengthening are all part of this system. The Manipulation Series uses mana as a medium to intervene in and control the mental realm. Techniques such as brainwashing, mind reading, hypnotic suggestions are all classified under this system.
Nidhogg: Oh! Now I get it. So, what is St. Elmo's Fire about?
Li Lin: St. Elmo's Fire is a natural phenomenon often observed by ancient sailors during thunderstorms. It generally happens on pointed objects like the top of a ship's mast, producing a blue-white flame-like light. This phenomenon is actually a cold light or Electro-Luminescence, which is a Corona discharge. It is caused by the strong electric field in a thunderstorm that ionizes the air. Even though it has "fire" in its name, St. Elmo's Fire is not hot at all. It is a relatively low-temperature plasma caused by a very large potential difference (which is common in thunderstorms) exceeding the breakdown value of air's dielectric (about 3 million volts per meter), making the air conductive, and emits strong light in the process.
Nidhogg: Thank you for the explanation, Master Li Lin!