Lord of the Truth

Chapter 1888 torment

The black substance was injected into the lower part of Drokʼs body through hundreds of extremely fine needles. Its density and weight were immense-so overwhelming that the moment it touched his skin, Drokʼs face contorted violently, his features twisting in agony as if every nerve and fiber in his body were being shredded from within.

”...Eeeee-” The young human tried desperately to stifle his scream, clenching his teeth, but the pain was too intense. His body betrayed him.

”Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!” he finally roared, letting out a piercing cry so

powerful that it seemed capable of ripping his very lungs apart. His whole body trembled, muscles twitching uncontrollably as the black substance began to spread like a living entity inside him.

The true core of this terrifying substance was a vein of Viradium metal, the stabilizing yet lethal component. If it had been used as a dagger to stab him directly, Drok would have died instantly. Viradium is a parasitic, energy-siphoning metal with toxic properties so potent that it can drain the life-force of entire planets. It was never meant to be injected directly into a living being-but here, it was being forced into his body in a controlled but excruciating manner.

Had the needles been pressing pure, raw Viradium into him, Drok would already have had to sever a limb by now to survive. But fortunately-or perhaps tragically-the other compounds mixed with the Viradium reduced its immediate lethality, binding it and forcing it gradually into his cells. This controlled chaos allowed the process to begin, but at a cost: unimaginable pain. Inside his body, the real, almost miraculous transformation was taking place. Shaddad held his breath, his Third-Level True Sight eyes fully activated, scanning every inch of Drokʼs body with obsessive focus. He analyzed every tremor of muscle, every pulse of energy, fully aware that the strain could kill him if he pushed too far. Yet he could not look away. This was the culmination of decades of preparation, every risk meticulously calculated-and every failure in these early experiments had cost lives.

Each time the Viradium-infused mixture penetrated a single cell, the transformation began.

The black substance spread relentlessly, saturating the cell from the inside. Viradium, true to its destructive nature, attempted to shred the inner walls of the cell, break down its structure, and consume its essence. But the accompanying compounds acted as a counterbalance, restraining the Viradium. Instead of destroying the cell, they forced the Viradium and the cell walls to meld together slowly, fusing in a controlled manner while simultaneously compressing the internal contents toward one side.

”Aaaah aaaahhhhhhh///!”

The pain was unimaginable. Exquisite and agonizing at once. But it was purposeful. Every second of suffering carried a precise, calculated effect.

The vital components of the cell remained intact, yet they were compressed to occupy only half their original volume. The other half of the cell was vacated completely, and the black substance formed an almost cage-like structure around this empty space, forcibly maintaining the void.

Energy that had been stored within the natural folds of the cell was repurposed, channeled to fuel this extraordinary transformation. Meanwhile, the outer cell walls collapsed at a rapid pace, only to be rebuilt simultaneously. The new walls were a hybrid construct: part biological tissue, part black substance, forming a structure that was stronger, denser, and more adaptable than anything natural evolution could produce.

After fifteen grueling minutes, the first cluster of cells along the path of the black substance began to stabilize. Shaddad could observe every detail: the reshaping, the compressing, the fusion of metal and flesh. A faint, cautious smile began to creep across his face. The internal structure of each cell was now clearly divided into two zones: one half vital and alive, the other half prepared to store immense energy through the Viradium.

The outer walls of the cells were now dark, coarse, and incredibly rigid, but at the same time, they were lined with millions-perhaps billions-of microscopic folds and ridges. According to the experimental design, as these cells absorbed energy, these folds would expand, allowing the walls to stretch, grow, and accommodate even more power. The architecture of the cells was becoming self-adaptive, able to contain and manage energy far beyond normal human limits.

By the thirty-minute mark, these cells had absorbed all the energy they were designed to contain. The transformation had been completed perfectly. These cells had transcended ordinary human capabilities. Drok himself remained human in essence-his mind and core identity were intact-but his body had surpassed every previous biological limit, reaching a level of physical and energetic potential far beyond what any natural human could achieve.

Pain, endurance, transformation, and precision-everything had been pushed to the extreme. And while the process was over, the echoes of the agony lingered in Drokʼs body, a testament to the deadly brilliance of the Viradium and the black substance that had rewritten the very structure of his cells.

Or, of course, all of this was being said specifically about that single, particular section of his body-the part that had already undergone the initial phase of transformation.

”Hoo~” Shaddad let out a long, pained exhale, his entire body tense as he observed the results. The first stage had been successfully completed. The transformation had been proven possible, confirming that the process could indeed work. Now, the real task lay ahead: he needed to carefully measure the total duration required to transform Drokʼs entire body, as well as gauge how long Drok could endure the excruciating process before reaching his absolute physical limit.

”Aaaaaaaaaaahhh-Not this fast! Not this fast!!” Drok screamed, his voice strained and filled with both agony and frustration. The black substance, relentless and unyielding, continued to surge from the pool, spreading deeper into the network of his cells, forcing its way into every tissue, every fiber, every corner of his being.

Those initial thirty minutes had concentrated solely on the cells of his feet, strengthening and reshaping them. But now, the real work-the true,

body-wide transformation-began in earnest.

After ten hours-

”Agaaah-Aaaaaah!!!” Blood poured from Drokʼs mouth, eyes, and ears. Pain

wracked his entire body, yet he endured, gritting his teeth and holding on.

After twenty hours-

”Ummmm... uhh...” His voice was weakened, almost a whisper, as the black substance penetrated deeper and deeper.

After thirty-five hours-

”...” Shaddadʼs eyes were wide open, completely fixed on the array. He had not anticipated that the experiment would continue for such an extended period. The sheer intensity of watching the process was nearly unbearable. His heart pounded as he observed the suffering and the delicate orchestration of the transformation.

After forty-seven hours-

”Ah... ahahaha... I will not die this easily! I will not die this easily!!” Drok screamed defiantly, despite every fiber of his body being tormented.

A portion of his abdomen had ruptured due to miscalculations in the extension of the cellular walls, yet the array automatically began to repair the damage, reinforcing the structure of the cells so that the process could continue. While one part was being repaired, other regions were simultaneously undergoing weaponization and transformation.

After fifty-five hours-

By this point, all of Drokʼs lower body, everything below the navel, had been completely reinforced and stabilized. Only the upper half remained to be fully

transformed.

After sixty-eight hours-

The weaponization had reached his chest and begun its invasive process on the heart. Drok looked up at the ceiling or perhaps the sky beyond the experimental chamber- with his mouth open, though he could no longer scream. His throat had been severely damaged, leaving him unable to produce

any sound.

”Heh~” Shaddad exhaled heavily, a mixture of relief and awe crossing his face. The moment of Drokʼs extreme trial, the pinnacle of the experiment, had finally arrived. His heart was about to reach the absolute limits of endurance.

After seventy-seven hours-

”What is happening here?!” Shaddad shouted, pointing at the platform with a mixture of astonishment and disbelief.

By now, the heart and the spine had been fully reinforced. At this very moment,

the array was completing the fortification of the spinal cord and brain. Drok remained rigid, mouth agape, eyes vacant, appearing almost like a lifeless body. Yet, despite the terrifying ordeal, his vital signs persisted, unyielding.

After ninety-six hours-

Bam! Shaddad struck his own head sharply multiple times, then turned and grabbed one of his assistants urgently. ”Do you see what I see? Do you see what

I see?!”

By this stage, the weaponization of the brain and spinal cord had been successfully completed after numerous attempts and violent internal surges. Drok had actually reached multiple moments of brain death, yet the neural signals had been restored each time, keeping him alive throughout the extreme

process.

After ninety-nine hours-

Kssshhh

Step Step

The immense lights of the gigantic array went dark, signaling the end of the

procedure. Shaddad advanced slowly toward the center, as if approaching a sleeping child, careful not to disturb the delicate balance of what had just been

accomplished.

Drok still stared blankly at the ceiling, his mouth open, eyes void of awareness. Yet, his teeth gleamed like metallic weapons capable of cutting through steel. His skin had become tougher than the strongest city walls, his heart pounded with the rhythmic intensity of a creature sustaining an ancient beastʼs life. Every detail-his strengthened body, the resilient heart, the reinforced skin- was evidence of a single undeniable truth.

”Have we... succeeded?” Shaddad whispered to himself, a mixture of disbelief,

exhaustion, and elation written across his face, as the realization of what they had achieved settled over him.

Author note here/

I have read many times in the comments about the difference between

fundamental and essential law, the difference between Guardian and Law Dominant, and so forth...

Would you like me to write it down for you in one of the incoming chapters? It will be written in this exact manner for everyone to see clearly, and it will take like a third of a chapter though... your call.