Adall now had a magical sensitivity of 100%.
Something even Orion couldn't confidently list all the benefits of.
He now also possessed a magical circuit worthy of the talent he had always had.
A magical circuit that had already proven itself by accompanying its previous owner through the different stages of power up to the Genesis rank.
So, even stopping at this stage of their program, Adall would undoubtedly become the most powerful being ever to exist in the world of Era. Of course, if one didn't take into account the Primordials.
However, the goal was not to become the strongest after the Primordials, but rather to tread the same domains of power as these superior beings, so the program had to continue.
"I will now transplant the second magical circuit into you."
With these words, Orion took out of the pouch attached to his belt a transparent ball the size of his palm. Even from a distance, one could see inside it hundreds of multicolored lines and connection points forming the complementary magical circuit that would soon be transplanted into the young boy's body.
Orion's voice rang out again, louder than ever.
"If I haven't cast any sleep and pain relief spells on you and I made you feel the weight of all the operations up to now, it's precisely for this step."
His voice was loud enough for even Fercyn and Evelyn, who were standing more than 30 meters away, to hear him clearly. It almost seemed like he was doing it on purpose.
"This operation is the first in history. Never has it been performed before today. So, we're swimming in uncharted waters, and pain is the beacon that will guide us to success..."
"???"
Silence!!!
A deafening silence enveloped the surroundings for a moment after these words.
Orion could tell, just by looking at the faces of the people listening to him, that they hadn't understood anything he was saying.
He nodded proudly, remembering the scene from this morning over a thousand years ago when the Wood Primordial, Kodren, spoke these same words to him to explain what he had to do for the complementary circuit transplantation.
He hadn't understood anything at the time either.
But time had passed now!
With his 1,000 years of existence, he now knew what those words he was using today meant.
"During the operation, the reaction between the two magical circuits will create micro-explosions throughout your body. This will result in even more excruciating pain than anything you've felt before. However, you must remain conscious throughout the setup of the complementary circuit so that you can draw on your connection with the life pearl to continuously repair the damage caused by these explosions."
Silence!!!
"You've probably already realized, but if you faint before the end of the operation, you die. If you don't pull hard enough on your connection with this artifact sealed inside you to heal yourself, you die as well."
Orion's final words were heavy with meaning, as they perfectly conveyed the danger of what they were about to undertake.
If he hadn't anesthetized him with a pain relief spell during the first operation, it was to let him gauge the pain threshold from which his life would truly be in danger. And if he was required to stay awake, it was so that he could requisition the full healing capabilities of the life pearl.
"Are you ready? Should we start the transplantation without further delay?"
Adall reluctantly nodded in response to his ancestor's question, but in reality, he would have liked to wait a few more minutes before continuing, and why not? A few more days...
But he could tell by Orion's tone of voice that that would never happen. So, with a nonchalant movement of his head, he accepted his fate.
Without further ado, Orion brought the crystal ball in his hand closer to Adall's back, and as if attracted by a magnet, the hundreds of multicolored lines emerged from it and converged toward the boy's body.
It was the beginning of one of the most painful experiences Adall would ever endure in his long and tumultuous life.
***
"Where am I? Ouch, my head..."
"You've finally woken up? Adall..."
Adall, gradually regaining his senses, could see that he was lying in the makeshift bed he had been using for the past 3 years to sleep in this nameless forest on the black continent.
He also realized that his whole body hurt as if he hadn't moved for a long time.
"How long have I been lying here? What happened? Why am I in my room? And the matrix transplantation?"
Having heard a voice beside him just after waking up, he could tell that he wasn't alone in the room, but his still blurry vision and buzzing ears prevented him from putting a name to the person.
"Who's there?"
At that moment, he felt a hand touch his body with the intention of helping him sit up. Sensing no danger to his life in the person's movements, he let them.
Besides the demonic beasts that swarmed the area, there was only Orion and the brother and sister dark elves in this forest with him. This person helping him could only be one of the latter.
After assuming a more comfortable position for the conversation, the person beside him spoke to him again.
"What if you used the life pearl to get back on your feet?"
"Ah!"
He had completely forgotten about that!
Without further ado, he pulled with all his might on his connection to the life pearl. The next moment, he regained all his faculties.
His eyes now seeing very clearly, he could identify the identity of the person in the room with him. However, as soon as he saw him, he exclaimed:
"Who are you? And what are you doing in my room?"
"...!"