“In early years I already knew the hardships of the world, yet I still allowed the wild goose to soar across the clouds. Through a thousand grindings and ten thousand strikes, the heart forges iron; with exhausted efforts and strained minds, a single sword is cast…”
Grimm felt the exquisite circuits constructed by the Alchemy matrix throughout his limbs and bones, with rapid and slow elemental torrents converging and operating within them.
Recalling the hardships and bitterness of the past few decades, he couldn’t help humming and reciting poetry.
“Ah! Today, my Dao is achieved!”
Sure enough, his greatest talent lay in Alchemy!
The reason why he had wasted decades of cultivation time in the past and performed mediocrely, knowing nothing except Word Spirit and Blood Rage, was simply because he lacked correct theoretical guidance and practical direction!
The concept of enhancing bloodlines through the Nibelungen Project was correct in direction, clear in path, and bright in future!
According to Grimm’s understanding of the Dragon race settings, hybrid bloodlines, human body structure, and Alchemy,
Those higher-level, superior bloodlines were merely manifested in two aspects: higher physical stats and stronger Word Spirit (meaning lower serial numbers and higher intensity).
And both of these aspects could be reinforced by implanting Alchemy matrix circuits into the body.
This reinforcement was essentially equivalent to bypassing the restrictions of bloodline, artificially increasing the elements controllable by the body.
To this end, Grimm currently carried out alchemical refinement targeting blood vessels, allowing elemental energy to be delivered to all parts of the body through blood circulation.
Especially in the joints, muscles, and outer skin, he had added a hundred million little ingenuity tricks into them.
For example, normally, muscles and joints are the support of body strength, while relying on ATP decomposition to provide energy for power output.
But the Alchemy circuits of Grimm’s modified blood vessels could directly supply elemental energy.
This undoubtedly bypassed normal human limitations and raised the output ceiling, while the outer skin possessed metabolic functions to supply it with energy, which in turn could achieve elemental externalization and greatly amplify the effect of Word Spirit…
Not bad!
Grimm nodded in satisfaction.
This method was both alchemical and scientific; researching this stuff was indeed a rigorous discipline.
Theoretical guidance was indispensable.
Thinking of this, he unconsciously spoke again:
“Ishtar, I think the upcoming lesson plans and research directions should be modified. No, it’s best to open a separate notebook to record my research results.”
“Um… Grimm.” The Goddess of the Underworld pouted.
“…Huh?
Ereshkigal, why are you here too?” Grimm, snapping out of his immersive pondering of his own “innovative ideas”, spoke in surprise.
Why am I here?
Wasn’t it because I was worried about you…
I thought something happened, only to find you mingling with my mortal enemy, and you guys even seemed to hit it off quite well in your research?
The Goddess of the Underworld lightly pressed her lips together, feeling bitter in her heart, but not showing it on her face.
“The focus right now shouldn’t be this. Why don’t you take a look around?”
Thus, in a blink of an eye, Grimm noticed the swords-drawn atmosphere between the two, as well as the battle traces and wretched mess inside the room, and instantly said speechlessly, “No, what are you two doing, tearing down the house here?”
Good grief, did this guy not realize what he had just done?
Then the two of them turned sideways almost simultaneously, clearing a wide path in the middle that almost continuously pierced through the walls all the way to the end door of this temporary base.
Seeing this, Grimm widened his eyes.
“Could it be?”
This masterpiece was caused by his elemental externalization?
“…” At this moment, the three of them fell into unanimous silence, which was undoubtedly the loudest answer.
“I am guilty!”
Grimm indeed admitted his mistake; there was nothing to argue about regarding such matters.
Wrong was wrong; it was he who destroyed Ereshkigal’s hard-earned labor fruits.
After all, Grimm was busy going out, either “pleasure-hunting” or “assassinating”, and taking care of the house was entirely left to Ereshkigal.
“Hmph, I forgive you.” The Goddess of the Underworld was unexpectedly pure and kind; hearing just a word from Grimm instantly untied the little knot in her heart.
“Besides, I was also at fault first, kicking the door down and barging in just now, interrupting your research process… Sorry about that.”
Shocking, the Goddess of the Underworld was more than just pure and kind; when someone apologized to her, she would even apologize back.
She was simply an angel.
“Oh, it’s fine, it’s fine. Rather, it’s a good thing!”
Grimm slapped his thigh.
“This shows that we are all at fault, so isn’t that even? Next, the three of us will work together with one heart to tidy up the room and clean up, at least finishing it before rest. If you can’t sweep a single room, how can you sweep the world? Let’s strive to make persistent efforts and create new brilliance!”
He spoke with high passion and morale, as if starting a business.
Ereshkigal also nodded repeatedly in agreement, saying good, good.
“…”
Only Ishtar’s brows furrowed deeper and deeper.
What does it mean that everyone is even?
She didn’t do anything the whole time; the gloomy girl took the initiative to provoke and she passively counterattacked, so why was she automatically factored in to call it even?
Was she born with some original sin, and deserved to get beaten up, huh!
Watching Ereshkigal and Grimm chatting and laughing, Ishtar secretly cursed in her heart: A pair of scumbags, just you wait!
After cleaning up at night, there were no more smiles on the faces of Grimm and Ereshkigal.
The Goddess of the Underworld, who moonlighted as a housekeeper, said in a heavy tone, “The result can be said to be a heavy loss: two bed boards missing, four walls, two doors, all the chairs and tables… and a pot of flowers that were watered just today.” Which Grimm had given her with his own hands.
Ishtar became silent upon hearing the end.
She looked again at Grimm next to her, who was wearing a serious expression and writing furiously.
She could only make out fragmented words like “Alchemy” and “circuits”…
This handwriting was crooked and truly hard to compliment; Ishtar looked at it for two glances and looked away.
Actually, this couldn’t be blamed entirely on Grimm.
He had been locked up in this Niflheim cage by Odin for decades, hadn’t written anything, and his hands had grown stiff.
Besides, there was nothing much to write about.
Could it be writing a diary?
Who writes that if they’re decent!
It would also easily make him let down his guard by accident and write about time travel and stuff.
But today’s research content was completely different.
When Grimm successfully implemented the Nibelungen Project to enhance his strength, he realized one thing: he had broken the dragon-slaying families’ monopoly on powerful hybrids, giving those from humble backgrounds a chance to glimpse the peak, and the cost was even lower than the Academy’s version of the project!
He wrote down these contents because they shouldn’t be put on ice, but passed down.
A true Alchemy master never grudges keeping secrets, but shares them equally with everyone in need!
Grimm felt that to be a master, not only must one have knowledge, but one must also have the right mindset.
“Finished writing, wrap up.”
Now, finally satisfied, he could peacefully close his eyes.
Meaning sleep.
Grimm couldn’t help sighing again: “What a pity, this set of methods is now gathering dust and is unknown to the world.”
If he had the opportunity to leave this ghost place, he would pass it on to more people and let more people benefit!
“You want to let other people learn this?” Ishtar was shocked.
“Are you sure it works?”
She had seen what Grimm looked like when his whole body’s blood vessels exploded, and she couldn’t imagine how much this method would “misguide students” if spread out.
Grimm nodded.
“It works! I’ve tried it, the second version is definitely no problem!”
He recalled that although the improved version had flaws, the problems weren’t big.
Calculated, the places prone to blood vessel bursting were at most less than a thousand, which was much better than the first edition.
There were also issues of muscle dissolution, skin ulceration, and joint fracture caused by elemental energy reinforcement, but Grimm had tested it during the day and felt he could push through with sheer willpower, having no problem bursting out with high-intensity combat at full strength in a short time.
If an ordinary person with a slightly better physique and some talent for Alchemy could withstand these side effects, one could imagine how high the universality of this method was!
Unfortunately, the prison of Niflheim blocked the path of propagation and dissemination.
Alas, Odin is truly bad.