An F-Rank Veterinarian Physically Heals an S-Rank Magical Beast - Chapter 96

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 96
I sprinted toward the mass of flesh.
Scalpel in hand, I scanned the surface of the colossal organic mass, searching for the core’s location. If I could extract the core before the incubation completed, it would be over. A simple surgical procedure. At least, that’s what it seemed like in my mind.
[Time remaining until incubation completion: 1 minute 12 seconds.]
Ma Dong-tak climbed up behind me, gripping a crowbar. Namgoong Cheon, the Wudang Sect Master, and Gae Bang Bang-ju passed through the hole in sequence, entering Floor 20. Their faces bore the strain of the heat, yet their resolve remained unshaken.
“Where should we strike, Director?”
“I haven’t pinpointed the location yet. Give me a moment.”
I placed my hand against the surface of the flesh mass.
It was warm. No—it was burning hot. And the pulsation transmitted directly through my palm. Thump. Thump. Thump. Regular, but accelerating.
[Searching for core location.]
[Warning: Energy density within the flesh mass is rising sharply, interfering with precision scanning.]
[Estimated core location: center of the flesh mass. However, margin of error: ±2 meters.]
“A 2-meter margin of error.”
I clicked my tongue.
I couldn’t incise the entire 2-meter error range with a scalpel. The flesh mass was massive enough to fill an entire room and overflow beyond it. If I cut in the wrong place, I’d only waste time.
[Time remaining until incubation completion: 47 seconds.]
“Ma Dong-tak. Drive the crowbar deep into the front. I need to examine the internal structure directly.”
“Understood!”
Ma Dong-tak raised the crowbar and drove it forward with full force into the front of the flesh mass.
Squelch—!
The crowbar penetrated over a meter into the flesh mass’s surface. Viscous bodily fluid flowed down the crowbar. As he tried to pull it back out, the flesh clamped down on the crowbar and refused to let go.
“This parasite is devouring the crowbar!”
Ma Dong-tak wrenched it out by force.
Rip—!
Clinging to the crowbar’s end were fragments of flesh and data cable, tangled together. When the flesh fell from Ma Dong-tak’s hand and touched the ground, it began crawling across the floor—moving to return to its original body.
“Look at that. Even the severed flesh crawls back to the main body.”
I lifted the flesh from the floor with my scalpel.
[Excised tissue analysis: Hybrid tissue composed of otherworldly organic cells and Layer 19 nanomachine metal particles.]
[Regenerative ability: Excised tissue detects chemical signals from the main body and autonomously returns.]
[Regeneration suppression condition: Return is impossible if chemical signals are blocked.]
I read the data and shook the flesh caught on my scalpel.
“It uses chemical signals to gather tissue. Then to prevent regeneration, I’d need to disrupt this signaling system.”
[Time remaining until incubation completion: 12 seconds.]
“Director! Time!”
Ma Dong-tak shouted.
I didn’t run.
I knew running would be pointless. A 2-meter margin of error. Even when 47 seconds remained, it wasn’t enough time. Now, with only 12 seconds left, finding and extracting the core was impossible.
I stepped back.
“Everyone, fall back.”
“What?”
“The incubation is complete. Core extraction has failed. We need to fall back and observe first.”
Ma Dong-tak clenched his teeth, but he didn’t defy my judgment. The Martial Arts Community elders retreated as well.
5 seconds.
4 seconds.
3 seconds.
Thump. Thump. Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump!
The flesh mass’s heartbeat suddenly accelerated wildly.
From 60 beats per minute to 100, 120, 150. And then.
It stopped.
Floor 20 fell silent. No heartbeat. No flickering lights. The air itself seemed frozen in stillness.
Three seconds of absolute silence.
And then.
SCREEEEEECH-!!!
The flesh mass split vertically.
From within, something sharp tore through the tissue and emerged. Dark crimson bodily fluid cascaded like a waterfall from the center of the mass. A viscous, amniotic-like liquid flooded Floor 20’s ground in an instant, rising to knee height.
Something rose from within it.
It had a humanoid form.
My eyes narrowed.
The previous Demiurge was a colossal mass of tentacles stretching hundreds of meters. Tens of thousands of eyeballs were embedded within it, an overwhelming presence capable of warping the Tower’s physical laws.
What emerged from the flesh mass was not that form.
Approximately 3 meters tall.
A bipedal form based on human skeletal structure. A head, torso, two arms, two legs. At first glance, it could almost pass for a giant human. But the details were different. There was no skin. Crimson muscle fibers were exposed raw, and between them, silvery metal fragments from Floor 19 were embedded like armor plating. Two eyes. Positioned where a human’s would be, but a different color. Blood red.
And from the crown of its head down the spine to the tail, transparent pipe-like conduits protruded along the vertebral line. Within them, luminous golden liquid circulated.
Nectar.
No—similar to nectar, but the color was slightly different. Darker. More turbid.
[System: Activating special skill ‘Eye of Truth’.]
[Target: The Tower’s Residual Creator. Reborn Entity.]
[Body Type: Humanoid bipedal form. Height approximately 3.2 meters.]
[Biological Composition: Interdimensional organic cells 65%, nanomachine metallic tissue 30%, unidentified matter 5%.]
[Special Characteristics: External circulatory conduits (nectar-variant bodily fluid) exposed along the vertebral line. These conduits may be vulnerable to external impact.]
[Core Location: Center of chest. Identical position to a human heart.]
[Danger Rating: S-Class or higher. Precise combat power measurement impossible.]
I read the data and closed my mouth.
A 3-meter humanoid. Far smaller than the previous hundreds-of-meters tentacle mass. Yet the phrase “danger measurement impossible” caught my eye.
The Reborn Entity slowly turned its head.
Its blood-red eyes fixed on me.
That was the moment.
Pressure came.
It wasn’t a physical attack. Not wind, not a shockwave. Just the oppressive force emanating from its very existence. Air with weight. A density that made breathing itself laborious.
Ma Dong-tak braced himself with his lever held forward. Both his feet slid backward half a step across the ground. The second-ranked fighter was pushed back by pressure alone.
“Ugh.”
The Martial Arts Community elders’ reactions were even more severe.
Namgoong Cheon dropped to one knee, still gripping his sword hilt. The Wudang Sect Master tried to resist with his inner energy, but veins bulged across his forehead. Gae Bang Bang-ju lay sprawled on the ground, unable to rise.
“This… this aura! It’s of a completely different quality than the Constellations we faced in the Tower before! Each wave of pressure feels as though it’s directly crushing one’s dantian!”
Namgoong Cheon spoke through gritted teeth.
I felt the oppression too. My legs grew heavy. My vision wavered. Yet I did not fall.
‘This isn’t mana-based oppression.’
I tightened my grip on the scalpel and analyzed the situation.
‘It’s a chemical compound acting directly on the nervous system. A scent.’
I sniffed the air.
That damp, sweet, and nauseating odor I’d detected since entering Floor 20—it was now radiating far more intensely from the bodily fluids spilling from the creature’s split flesh. This wasn’t merely a foul smell.
[Analysis: Unidentified chemical compound detected in Floor 20 atmosphere.]
[Chemical classification: Pheromone-derived neural suppressant of interdimensional biological origin.]
[Effect: Upon inhalation, suppresses the sympathetic nervous system, amplifying fear and inducing muscular weakness.]
[Analogous biological precedent: Freezing response in prey triggered by alarm pheromones secreted by wasps (Vespa).]
“Pheromones.”
I spoke the word tersely.
“That oppressive sensation isn’t mana. It’s a chemical compound.”
Ma Dong-tak, bracing himself, asked.
“A chemical compound?”
“It’s the same principle as when wasps release pheromones before attacking prey, freezing their targets in place. That Reborn Entity is dispersing neural-suppressing pheromones into the atmosphere along with its bodily fluids. When inhaled, it inhibits the sympathetic nervous system, causing the body to stiffen and fear to amplify.”
“So you’re saying this isn’t magic—it’s just poison gas?”
“In simple terms, yes.”
I rummaged through my medical bag.
I withdrew five surgical masks—high-grade Operating Room masks equipped with filters. From the interior of the bag, I also retrieved a small spray bottle.
“Put these on.”
I tossed masks to Ma Dong-tak and the Martial Arts Community elders. Namgoong Cheon accepted his with trembling hands and fitted it over his face. The moment he did, strength returned to his legs.
“Excellent! The aura has diminished!”
“It’s not an aura—it’s pheromones.”
I donned my own mask and raised the small spray bottle toward the Reborn Entity.
“Director Ma. Now that you’re masked, I need you to confirm one thing.”
“What is it?”
“Can you withstand a direct physical strike from that Reborn Entity in your current state?”
Ma Dong-tak put on his mask, took a deep breath, and hoisted the crowbar onto his shoulder.
“Won’t know until I try.”
He smirked.
“Let’s give it a shot.”
The Reborn Entity moved in that instant.
It was fast.
The three-meter body launched from the ground toward Ma Dong-tak at a speed entirely different from the previous Choi Myung-seok mutation. Where Choi Myung-seok had stumbled forward, overwhelmed by his own mass, this Reborn Entity moved with precise weight distribution, mimicking human locomotion.
Ma Dong-tak planted the lever horizontally.
Screeeech—!!!
The Reborn Entity’s fist struck the lever.
Ma Dong-tak’s feet scraped across the floor as he was driven back three meters. The lever bent. It didn’t break.
“Nngh! That’s heavy!”
Ma Dong-tak gritted his teeth and held his ground.
I didn’t miss the moment of impact. I observed everything.
The Reborn Entity’s arm. The range of motion in its shoulder joint when extending its fist. The direction of weight transfer. And most importantly.
The transparent circulation vessel running along the spine line, now exposed.
When it extended its fist, its back was laid bare. Because the circulation vessel protruded above the spine, it was most vulnerable whenever its back was exposed.
[Real-time Analysis: Spinal circulation vessel exposure time during target’s attacking motion approximately 0.4 seconds.]
[Circulation vessel outer wall thickness: Estimated 2 millimeters. Vitreous tissue. Vulnerable to physical impact.]
[If circulation vessel fluid flow is interrupted: Full-body energy circulation disorder → Regenerative capacity expected to decline.]
My eyes gleamed.
“I found it.”
Ma Dong-tak deflected the Reborn Entity’s fist and slipped to the side.
“Does it have a weakness?”
“A transparent vessel running along the spine on its back. Can you see it?”
Ma Dong-tak glanced at the Reborn Entity’s back. A transparent vessel carrying golden liquid extended from its neck to its tailbone.
“I see it.”
“It’s only 2 millimeters thick. If we sever that vessel, the energy circulation inside its body stops. Its regenerative capacity will plummet, and its strength and reaction speed will all decline.”
“But that vessel is on its back. We can’t strike it from the front.”
“Exactly.”
I gauged the distance between myself and the Reborn Entity as I spoke.
“Director Ma, you strike from the front. When the frontal attack comes in, the Reborn Entity will either extend its arms to block or twist its body to evade. Either way, there will be a moment when its back is exposed. That’s when I sever the circulation vessel from behind.”
“The same formation as with Choi Myung-seok.”
“Similar. But the speed is different this time. The Choi Myung-seok mutant was slow, but this Reborn Entity has the reaction speed to push you back. I won’t have much time to work with.”
“I’ll buy you time.”
Ma Dong-tak gripped the lever again.
“How much do you need?”
“About one second.”
“One second is too stingy. I’ll give you three.”
Ma Dong-tak charged forward, the lever leveled before him.
The Reborn Entity reacted to Ma Dong-tak’s charge. Its blood-red eyes tracked his movements. Unlike the previous Demiurge, it displayed no transcendent ability to distort gravity. Instead, its physical capabilities were simply overwhelming.
The Reborn Entity raised its right arm and met Ma Dong-tak’s lever head-on.
Screeeech—!!!
The shockwave carved across the Floor 20 ground. Ma Dong-tak was driven back. But this time, he only retreated two meters. Since donning the mask, the pheromone’s influence had diminished, and his stamina had recovered.
Using his backward momentum, Ma Dong-tak pivoted and swung the lever toward the Reborn Entity’s flank.
The Reborn Entity twisted its body to evade.
Its back was exposed.
0.4 seconds.
I had already positioned myself three meters to the right rear of the Reborn Entity. The moment Ma Dong-tak charged in, I pivoted counterclockwise, driving into the blind spot.
The transparent circulatory vessel lay directly before me.
I raised the scalpel.
“Elders!”
I called out sharply.
Namgoong Cheon responded. He launched himself from the ground, his blade energy streaking toward the Reborn Entity’s legs—not to sever, but to bind the ankles. The Wudang Sect Master’s palm strike drove against the opposite knee from behind.
The Reborn Entity’s balance wavered for 0.2 seconds.
Those 0.2 seconds were added to my count.
0.6 seconds.
The scalpel descended.
I felt the blade kiss the surface of the transparent vessel. It was smooth and delicate as glass. I drew the scalpel at the precise angle.
Screech—!
The circulatory vessel tore vertically.
Golden fluid erupted in a violent spray.
“Grrrraaaaahhhhh—!!!”
The Reborn Entity vocalized for the first time—a sound like metal scraping rather than any human cry. Feeling the fluid burst from its back, it spun and lashed out with its arm.
I bounded backward, escaping the radius of attack.
The Reborn Entity’s arm cleaved through empty air. The pressure alone sent my surgical gown fluttering.
It had been close.
But it had missed.
I circled to stand beside Ma Dong-tak, observing the Reborn Entity.
Fluid continued to leak from the severed vessel. The Reborn Entity attempted to press its hand against the torn section, but it was on its back—its arm couldn’t reach. A structural limitation of the humanoid skeleton. Hands cannot reach behind the back, whether for a human or a three-meter Reborn Entity.
“The fluid is draining,” I said quietly.
Jinhyuk spoke quietly.
“If we buy time, it will weaken.”
Ma Dong-tak nodded.
“But Director.”
“Yes?”
“Is severing just one location sufficient?”
I examined the Reborn Entity’s spinal line again.
The circulatory vessel extended from the neck to the tailbone. I had severed only one point along the central back. Fluid was leaking, but the upper and lower sections of the vessel remained connected.
[Real-time Analysis: One circulatory vessel severed.]
[Fluid loss rate: Approximately 15% per minute.]
[Target regeneration response: Coagulation initiated at severed site. Sealing expected within approximately 2 minutes.]
“It will seal in two minutes,” I said.
I furrowed my brow.
“One location is insufficient. I must sever at least three points simultaneously for the fluid loss rate to outpace regeneration.”
“Three locations.”
Ma Dong-tak regarded the Reborn Entity.
The Reborn Entity was already furious at the bodily fluids erupting from its back. Its crimson eyes locked onto me. Unlike before, it now recognized me as a ‘threat’.
“Three simultaneous points. That won’t work alone.”
Ma Dong-tak turned the lever once.
Then he looked back at the Martial Arts Community elders.
“Gentlemen. Care to settle a debt?”
Namgoong Cheon answered, raising his sword.
“We’ve already discussed terms and pricing. Just give the order.”
I laughed behind my mask.
“Then let’s devise a strategy.”
Beneath the crimson lighting of Floor 20, I began tracing a simple operational diagram on the ground with my scalpel.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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