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Chapter 111: 019: Where the Heart Desires
"Haha, it worked!"
Lynch was overjoyed!
The face of the awakened giant bore no expression whatsoever, its eyes staring blankly into the void. It awkwardly sat upright and then remained still, motionless, its massive eyes void of any spark or vitality.
The current Frankenstein may have a complete life system that enables it to "exist" in this world, but it only exists in the strictest sense—alive but without independent thought, devoid of any ideas or consciousness. Its sitting up was merely a natural reflex of its muscular nervous system. It still lacked the most critical component of an independent life—
a soul.
Life is life not merely because it breathes or survives, but because it has independent thought, unique consciousness, and its own soul. The same holds true for Frankenstein—only by injecting a soul into it could it truly be deemed a living being.
But Soul Study is an incredibly profound field of knowledge, accessible only to wizards. At present, Lynch only possesses a superficial understanding. The idea of injecting a soul into Frankenstein is wholly unrealistic.
Nor is it necessary.
What Lynch desires is simply a magic lifeform entirely under his control, something he can modify as he pleases. In its current state, Frankenstein is already perfect for his needs.
As for whether he might someday give it a soul, Lynch hasn’t yet entertained the idea.
"Truly magnificent..."
Standing in front of Frankenstein, Lynch scrutinized his creation from head to toe, growing increasingly satisfied the longer he looked at it.
Immediately, he linked his Spirit Imprint—pre-set on Frankenstein—and controlled it to rise up from the ground and take a few steps around the room.
"Boom! Boom!"
Lynch didn’t even know exactly what all he had packed into it. Frankenstein’s weight was absolutely monstrous, tipping the scales at over 500 kilograms. Its every step resounded with a thunderous "boom" throughout the room.
"Let’s see what its attributes look like."
Opening the data panel, Lynch quickly reviewed Frankenstein’s specific attributes:
Name: Frankenstein.
Attributes: Strength 28.6, Agility 26.9, Constitution 31.8.
"Tsk, tsk!"
Even though Lynch had already suspected this guy was extraordinary, seeing the actual numbers still caught him off guard.
All three attributes were nearing thirty, placing it at the pinnacle of the High-level Knight range. One more step and it would reach the Great Knight Level, making it an unrivaled force across the Seven Kingdoms.
Even in the Wizard World, its stats could rival some Refining System High-level Apprentices without fear.
"At last, I have some means of self-protection."
With such a formidable entity under his command, Lynch no longer felt utterly helpless, even when facing a High-level Apprentice.
Memories of the alchemy monster from years ago still haunted him, occasionally emerging as nightmares.
His decision to create and modify such a towering servant wasn’t just born from his love for biological transformation—it was deeply influenced by his encounter with that alchemy monster. Subconsciously, he sought to craft something capable of standing against it.
With Frankenstein now complete, if he ever crossed paths with that creature again...
"Forget it. No point dwelling on it."
Lynch shook his head, returning his gaze to the Frankenstein standing before him. The project was still unfinished, missing one vital component: a central core.
While Frankenstein had been brought to life, this was solely due to the magic Lynch had used to forcibly stimulate it. It couldn’t breathe, or trigger its heartbeat, nor did any of its organs function—not because they were incapable, but because they simply didn’t know how to operate.
Normally, these functions would be governed by the brain and the soul. However, due to the absence of a soul, Frankenstein’s brain was little more than an ornament, incapable of issuing the basic directives needed for survival.
Put simply, Frankenstein had been brought to life, but it had no knowledge of how to live, nor any drive to survive.
Without this will to live, its organs would eventually deteriorate and fail, leaving Lynch with two options: either replace the failing organs or watch it decay and perish all over again.
To resolve this, a core was essential—a mechanism capable of regulating its organs, sustaining its survival.
For ordinary life forms, this core is naturally the soul. But Lynch didn’t have one, so he could only settle for something else with comparable functionality—
the Soul Crystal.
This substance originates from a type of fungal spore and is, in itself, a unique form of life. All life forms possess a survival instinct, so by using it as Frankenstein’s core, the crystal would naturally strive to keep its host alive, thereby ensuring the body’s continuous operation.
Perfect.
From his Space Ring, Lynch retrieved a Soul Crystal, attaching it to Frankenstein’s chest. As countless writhing tendrils burrowed into the skin and linked with Frankenstein’s neural pathways...
"Huff... huff..." Heavy breathing filled the air.
At this moment,
Lynch’s first-ever human biological transformation project was, in the truest sense, complete.
"Fate works in such mysterious ways..."
Lynch gazed at the resplendent Blue Crystal embedded in Frankenstein, overcome with emotion. The day he discovered this material was also the day he encountered that terrifying alchemy monster that left an indelible mark on his psyche.
This experience ultimately drove him to create Frankenstein, and the Soul Crystal he’d found back then ended up serving as the cornerstone of his creation.
Would he ever encounter that alchemy monster again?
...
In the days that followed, Lynch created several Undead Servants, skeletons, zombies, and so on.
Most of his time was spent alone in the laboratory, conducting experiments, cultivating, and studying. Yet, at every mealtime, Avery would specifically come to fetch him to eat together.
For as long as he could remember, Lynch had been a solitary figure. His days revolved around cultivating, with meals taken whenever he had spare time rather than at set schedules. This sudden "alarm clock" was something he was unaccustomed to.
But though unfamiliar, Lynch didn’t find it unpleasant. On the contrary, he rather liked it.
Long periods of cultivation could indeed feel lonely and isolating. Having someone to talk to every now and then helped dispel the emotional burdens that had built up over time.
Through this daily interaction, the two had gradually grown closer.
Another week passed, and the relentless blizzard, which seemed to go on forever, finally came to an end.
It was finally time to set out once more!
Although there was still a long road to the Tower, Avery seemed to have fully recovered, so Lynch didn’t delay. That very day, he informed her of his intention to depart.
Her response?
With a half-teasing, half-serious look, she smiled faintly and said, "Why the rush? Wouldn’t it be nice to just live in this secluded paradise?"
After a brief pause, she suddenly smirked impishly and added, "How about we simply stay here? I’ll be your wife, and we’ll retreat from the world together. Sound good?"
"Doesn’t sound good at all."
Lynch rejected her without a second thought. Not only did such a joke strike him as unamusing, but even if she were serious, the idea simply held no appeal for him.
Beautiful women are fleeting.
But endless knowledge—that is the eternal home that Lynch’s heart longs for.
Avery chuckled, "Heh."
And so, the journey continued.
