Academic gathering with a lich

After passing through the main gate, the temperature dropped even further, and Lyle had no choice but to let Nia cover his head as well; otherwise, every breath he took would have turned into snowflakes in the air, which would have been too conspicuous among a group of Liches.

With the help of Nia’s transformed film on the surface of her body, Lyle’s way of breathing underwent a slight change. Inside the beak, a soft tissue covered Lyle’s mouth and nose, connected to the film spread throughout his body, allowing him to breathe through the film—an alternative oxygen tank. This was Lyle’s idea for handling underwater operations.

The massive circular platform was now devoid of the various objects that had been cluttered in the corner. The experiment table and shelves were still intact, though the neat and harmonious display on top didn’t seem like the work of a slovenly person.

Even Arnold, in his professorial role, hadn’t provided any chairs or tables for the students, though they didn’t much care for such things.

Lyle pinched the ring on his finger, searching for Arnold’s figure, ready to summon Andrey’s professional terrorists at the slightest sign of trouble. As for the fallout on the other students, to hell with it—they were used to being shattered anyway.

Arnold was not within Lyle’s line of sight. Gazing at the smooth-as-glass water beneath his feet, he knew the pure facade concealed hidden waves within.

A shadow appeared from under the water, causing ripples on the surface. The onlooking students stepped back, creating space on the shore closest to the shadow.

Arnold emerged from the water.

If indeed it was Arnold.

With a pair of spiraling horns on a bony mask, the eye sockets showed no glimpse of eyes within the shadows, and the lips sported a deliberately carved eerie crescent moon smile. Black triangular scales covered his entire body, and from between the scales, the shriveled limbs, like those of a frozen corpse, had not swollen with water, as though the skin was still functioning.

The man known as Arnold stood before Lyle, completely transformed, with that strange smile, watching the crowd around Lyle.

His appearance, eerily similar to that of the Omen Giant, evoked feelings of powerlessness and fear in Lyle’s mind. However, Lyle’s response was quite bland, and he lowered the hand that was pinching the ring.

That was indeed the teasing smile from his memories, indeed causing an irresistible fear in Lyle. Even as his own heart began to tremble, Lyle relaxed instead.

It was too slight.

The fear and eerie quality Arnold brought were so slight that they were poor, so poor that they seemed like imitation.

Arnold was imitating the fear within Lyle’s heart. Although everything he displayed was very similar, that indescribable fear fell far short, like tasting candy after licking honey. Lyle found it underwhelming, and this mediocre sensation gave him considerable peace of mind.

Arnold’s body was no longer the hunched and twisted form it once was. Holding a twisted knobby stick, he bowed to the group of students.

"I am delighted to see you again, Mr. Plague Doctor. I’m very grateful for the changes you have brought about in me. Yes, I have a new life, a new pursuit, from the transformed creature you handed over to me. My earlier evasiveness was for the sake of this moment."

"To express my gratitude, as a token of thanks, I will share all my knowledge with you. Therefore, Mr. Plague Doctor, you won’t miss a single lesson."

Arnold’s behavior and actions caused a minor stir among the student body, but the Liches returned to their calm after a few whispers and glances.

They showed a certain flexibility in dealing with the situation.

Shiny chatted idly with Flexibility.

"There’s no Spirit Summoning Conductor that the Plague Doctor can’t handle; it’d be strange if Arnold didn’t show closeness to the boss. After all, he is the man who conquered the teachers of Spirit Summoning Studies."

"Although it’s only natural, I still long for more surprises. But, reality is so unimaginably bleak."

Though skeptical of Arnold’s transformation, since he had initially been a madman and was now back to normal, Lyle knew he had to maintain the etiquette expected of a sane person.

"I am flattered, Professor Arnold, that all the changes you have undergone are the result of your own efforts. If my actions played any role, I believe they were merely incidental."

Arnold let out a sinister laugh.

"The flapping of a butterfly’s wings can also cause a storm, Mr. Plague Doctor."

Having finished the small talk, Arnold began his lecture. Just as he said, everything was in anticipation of Lyle’s arrival. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"My teaching focuses solely on what we have lost, flesh and blood. Perhaps someone told you that Spirit Summoning Studies is divided into three major schools. That’s a superficial thought only idiots would deceive themselves with. Flesh and blood are the very foundation of life’s existence. The living beings of this world, even yourselves, act like puppets cobbled together with so-called souls and skeletons, are in fact just failures of evolution."

"That idiot Crimson must have taught you that. Flesh is the supporter that links bones and nurtures souls."

"Flesh is everything! Flesh is the cornerstone of life, the nurturer of the myriad forms of existence we see today. Flesh doesn’t need bones for support, nor does it need spirits for guidance. It only needs to follow the instincts encoded in its tissues to evolve continuously. Ultimately, flesh will reach a higher level, transcending the fragile shells that you are."

Arnold, who had been agitated, suddenly calmed down.

"But this is ultimately an unattainable goal. Even now, I am controlled by this thing called a soul. How to make you understand is another matter altogether."

"The autonomy and mutation of flesh is the knowledge you must grasp. I do not expect you to comprehend the intrinsic meaning, but some things will emerge with change. One day, you will experience the essence of transcendence, if you have not perished by then."

Arnold took a brownish jar from a shelf next to him, his arm reaching inside, and from it came a piercing squeaking sound, like that of a rodent. In his hand, Arnold held a shapeless blob of flesh that squirmed and waved three tentacles. From the sparse dark gray fur scattered on its surface, you could recognize traces of a rat.

"The first step to transcendence is transformation. Living flesh is highly malleable; each growth is a change, and I hold the key to growth."

"Blood Bone Transformation is the knowledge you need to understand today. Other superficial folks might limit this to blood-bone conversion or life harvesting. But in reality, flesh can transform into any form of life."

"Bones, fur, keratin, scales, even wood or spores."

That pitiable creature twisted with every word spoken by Arnold, morphing with the power, and that alternately hoarse and piercing scream resonated coldly in the ears of an indifferent Lich.

"The initial transformation is full of uncertainty and unpredictability, that randomness is a gift of the flesh. An uncertain path represents infinite possibilities. But most life forms are not infinite; their fragile bodies can only endure a finite number of transformations."

"After exceeding this number, they face..."

"Elimination."

The creature in Arnold’s hands swelled into a sac, growing in volume even as its cries diminished.

It burst in Arnold’s grasp, and a chunk of revolting debris spattered at Lyle’s feet.