Deep within the untraveled Dark Forest lies a peculiar place. The skies here are perpetually shrouded in thick clouds, and beneath these clouds sprawls a cluster of squat stone huts and fragmented ruins.
At the very center, however, stands an ancient tower.
This is the Shadow Tower, a wizard tower located in the western region of the Dark Forest within the 'Ancient Ruins' of the southern coast of the Wizard Continent.
Though the tower has only three rings, it is already one of the most formidable forces on this remote edge of the Wizard Continent. It rules over the entire Dark Forest and is one of the three supreme rulers of the seven human kingdoms here, with a population numbering in the tens of millions.
Morning light.
Dawn was breaking. The world was still and silent as gray mist drifted through the forest, casting an atmosphere of quiet mystery over the ancient tower enshrouded in shadow.
At this hour, most apprentices were still lost in dreams. However, a flicker of firelight had already illuminated a stone room at the edge of the Shadow Land.
Through the cracked wooden window, a young figure could be seen busying himself at a wooden table.
He looked about 12 or 13 years old, with a slender figure, slightly disheveled black hair, a straight nose, thin lips, and delicate features that were still tinged with a youthful roundness.
His eyes were a shade of lead gray, gleaming with the brightness unique to young men, though they carried an eerie maturity and depth that surpassed his age.
His name was Lynch Valen, originating from the Frost Cold Territory—a baronial domain in the northern Putan Kingdom—and the son of two peasants who worked on the Morton Family's estate. He also had an elder brother and a younger sister.
Two years ago, on the day of calling, a wizard in the lord's castle discovered Lynch possessed wizardly talent, bringing him to this tower to train as a quasi-apprentice specializing in biological transformation.
At this moment, Lynch was conducting a biological transformation experiment at the wooden table.
On the workstation sat a palm-sized lizard, fastened to the table with iron wires.
Beside it lay a round glass vessel holding outstretched bat wings soaked in a murky yellowish-brown liquid.
A lizard and bat meat wings—Lynch was attempting to fuse the two.
"Hah…" Taking a shallow breath, he reached for the knife beside him.
"Hisss!"
Perhaps sensing danger, the lizard on the table emitted a sharp hissing sound. Its round eyes widened in panic and trembled furiously as if struggling to break free from its restraints.
Placing his left hand firmly on the lizard's back, Lynch clearly felt its scales stiffen and pull inward defensively.
Next, he positioned the knife in his right hand above a marked spot on its mid-to-upper back—marks he had made earlier—and steadied the blade before gently piercing it in.
"Crunch... crack..."
Against the magically sharpened edge of the knife, the lizard's scales proved useless. The blade swiftly carved two five-centimeter-long slits along its back.
"Squelch."
Dark red blood seeped out, quickly staining its back. The lizard's struggles grew even fiercer.
Taking up a white handkerchief, Lynch casually wiped away the excess blood, then retrieved the bat meat wings from the vessel. He aligned them with the slits and inserted the wings into the openings before lifting his apprentice wand and tapping it lightly.
A line of runes engraved at the connection site suddenly came to life, writhing as they extended black, thread-like tendrils into the lizard's cuts. These tendrils burrowed inside like strings weaving the two entities together.
The wing's membrane of spider-web-like veins pulsed intensely, red nerve fibers spreading rapidly across the lizard's body and finally linking to its brain.
"Did it work?"
Lynch wiped the sweat off his brow with a handkerchief, impatiently admiring his creation.
Its triangular head bore large, round eyes. Tightly arranged dark-red scales gleamed like sturdy armor. Its slender limbs were strong and sharp, with powerful clawed digits bent ominously.
And mounted on its back were wings that far exceeded its physique, adding a fantastical dimension to its presence, resembling something akin to... to...
The legendary dragon!
"Next is the control test..."
Steeling himself, Lynch released the iron wires binding the lizard, restoring its freedom, and mentally infused his spirit imprint to steer it, commanding its wings.
Though the lizard, still dazed from its ordeal, seemed lost, its body moved mechanically under the imprint's compulsion, attempting to use its newly transplanted appendages.
Bit by bit, the wings, previously stiff, began unfolding outward in tentative motions before beating faintly, then faster and faster until the air around them rippled.
"Pfft!"
Suddenly, without warning, the lizard spat black blood from its maw before collapsing lifelessly onto the wood table.
Lynch frowned.
Detailed examination showed the lizard's scales covered in leaking blood; it appeared dead, though subtle twitches revealed its muscles and nerves remained faintly active.
Stroking his jawline, Lynch began analyzing calmly.
"Did it fail?"
"It shouldn't be… I specifically used the best material—the Fire Dragon Lizard—which should withstand the cell fusion…"
"Was it due to rejection responses?"
"No…"
"I can't conclude this so hastily."
At this moment, Lynch detected faint vital signs still lingering in the lizard. Pressing his hand to its belly, he felt a weak heartbeat.
Quickly pinpointing the issue, Lynch murmured, "It's the grinding reaction!"
Forcibly merging two vastly different species is undoubtedly demanding. Cellular rejection, bloodline backlash, and various factors often arise, a phenomenon referred to as grinding reaction within biological transformation science.
Lynch sighed with relief. Although grinding reactions were troublesome, at least there was hope. If the organism could endure this phase, the two species might fully harmonize and transform into an entirely new life form.
"Let's hope it can pull through," Lynch silently prayed.
The Fire Dragon Lizard wasn't cheap, combined with the cultivated bat wings. He had practically exhausted his savings for this experiment.
The apprentice examination was fast approaching, and this experimental subject was planned as his primary entry piece for the test.
"Attempting such a complex task with only Second Tier Basic Transformation seems overly ambitious. Should I have waited for Third Tier…"
"If it doesn't work out, I'll have to use the 'Pea Shooter' for the assessment. But that would mean forfeiting the extra rewards…"
Lost in thought, Lynch opened a nearby iron cage to secure the lizard inside.
Grinding reactions didn't have ideal remedies. If wealthy, high-grade magic potions or rare material resources could help, but those were out of reach for impoverished apprentices like Lynch.
"Yawn~"
After ensuring everything was tidy, Lynch leaned back in his chair, letting out a sleepy yawn. Having worked through the night, he indeed felt drained.
[Basic Transformation Skill Proficiency +3]
[Basic Transformation Skill lv2: 968/1000]
At this moment, a cold, mechanical prompt echoed sharply in Lynch's ear.
Suddenly, his drowsy head felt reinvigorated, and the frustration from the earlier setback melted away.
Lynch rubbed his brow. With a thought, a faint blue virtual data panel materialized before his eyes.
Name: Lynch Valen.
Attributes: Strength 0.6, Agility 0.9, Constitution 0.6, Spirit 1.3
Basic Transformation Skill lv2: 968/1000 ——> max.
Spiritual Guidance Technique max.
Rune Language max.
Wizard World General Knowledge Guide max.
Basic Magic Plants Atlas max.
Basic Demon Atlas max.
Ancient Relics Geographical Guide max.
Wizard World General Knowledge max.
Special Talent: effort will pay off.
Examining the advancing statistics on the panel, Lynch's fatigue faded significantly. No matter how arduous the experiments or how numerous the failures, he always found renewed energy upon seeing these climbing figures—a crucial driving force enabling him to persevere in this perilous, alien world.
For in truth, Lynch wasn't originally from this place. He was a simple office drone from Earth.
The exact circumstances remained unclear to Lynch—he only recalled dozing off at his desk while working late during a storm two years back. He awoke to find himself here, inhabiting this wizard apprentice's body.
At that time, the body's previous owner had been conducting his first biological transformation experiment—attempting to graft petrification mushroom cells into a Ghost-faced Spider.
The procedure had seemingly gone smoothly until someone deliberately swapped his materials—replacing the petrification mushroom cells with high-level stone statue ghost cells.
Even now, with Lynch's upgraded transformation skill, handling such high-tier materials would be impossible. Given his meager novice knowledge from when he just entered the tower, the disastrous outcome was inevitable.
The failed experiment unleashed a horrifying wave of energy backlash.
From memory, Lynch glimpsed the spider's abdomen tearing open—an eye emerging, and a beam shooting forth. His body stiffened as if petrified, turning numb, then darkening into unconsciousness.
When he woke again, the original soul inhabiting the body had vanished, leaving Lynch from Earth in its stead.
Accompanying the transmigration came the data panel embedded in his mind.
"Rustling…"
Outside, the sun was now rising over the hills, its golden glow slowly illuminating the forest. Ancient trees stretched endlessly before him; the gentle sway of leafy canopies resembled waves rippling across an emerald sea.
Pulling his gaze from nature's boundless green ocean, Lynch pinched his temples, dispelling lingering sleepiness. He opened a cabinet, retrieved a magical plant, and set up for the next transformation experiment.
The upgrade for Basic Transformation was near, and Lynch felt an overwhelming impatience to advance.
...
Time slipped by, and two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. Through relentless effort, Lynch finally elevated his Basic Transformation to the Third Tier—the pinnacle, or max stage—on the very last day.
Meanwhile, the tower's much-anticipated apprentice examination arrived on schedule...