My Body Has Never Felt This Good

Katarina, who had been waiting in the shadows, acknowledged him, opened the basement door, and quickly exited.

A short while later, she returned with a bucket in hand, placing it before Ryan and Viktor.

"Is this… Shimmer?"

Viktor watched in surprise as Katarina uncovered the lid, revealing the purple liquid inside.

"You should be quite familiar with it. I've heard about your past," Ryan said with a smile.

"Its inventor… was once my first teacher."

Viktor hesitated for a moment before admitting frankly, "I don't agree with all of his views, but in some ways, I was deeply influenced by him."

"The past can be intoxicating, but you mustn't get lost in it. Viktor, your past determined who you are now, and your choices today will determine your future."

Ryan pointed to the dark purple liquid, his expression calm.

"This was a gift Medarda gave me on my first day in Piltover. And of course, I have another treasured item."

He then retrieved a candle lamp from nearby; a grayish-white flame burned on its wick, giving anyone who looked at it the feeling their soul was being drawn away.

"Shimmer, to help you increase the probability of fusing with the gem. The Soul-Snatching Underworld Lamp, a trinket I obtained from the Immortal Bastion, uses Magic to forcibly absorb the souls of ordinary people."

Ryan looked at Viktor with a serious expression.

"Should you fail, I will use it to lock your soul, preventing it from dissipating with the death of your body. But then, I would only be able to place you in an ordinary mechanical body, stronger than Jayce is now, but weaker than a hero-level one."

This treasure was said to be a toy of the Immortal Bastion's original owner, used to punish disobedient servants. Ryan, for his part, had never received any positive energy treasures from the Immortal Bastion.

Even in terms of Runes, apart from the basic ones, all other Runes were soul-related.

"Excellency, this is more than enough," Viktor said with a carefree expression. "What should I do? Inject it into my body?"

"Silco is the one who popularized Shimmer, and they typically administer it via injection. Their method is extremely crude, making it difficult to precisely control the body's changes. In my eyes, there has only been one successful case to date."

"That Ms. Sevika?" Viktor asked, intrigued.

Ryan shook his head. "No, it's Jinx."

"Jinx," Viktor murmured the name. "In Zaunite slang, it means scourge, bad luck, ominous. To be called that, she must have some extraordinary qualities."

"She's still a young girl, but her physique is already close to Jayce's. Although she has some mental issues, that doesn't overshadow her potential; her future is bright," Ryan said with a smile. "The chaos at Stillwater Hold that day was her doing."

"I'll remember her."

Viktor nodded, understanding that Ryan was discussing the future development of Zaun with him, indirectly reassuring him about the current danger.

Without a trace of hesitation on his face, he removed his shirt at Ryan's instruction, revealing his bony chest.

"Let's begin, Excellency. I'm afraid I have to trouble you again," he said apologetically.

"It's no trouble at all. Let me witness a splendid showdown between the Twin Cities as a reward."

Ryan smiled, his eyes and the ring on his right hand simultaneously glowing with a deep blue light.

In an instant, a mass of Shimmer liquid, drawn by the Magic, slowly floated out and surged towards Viktor.

"My method will be very precise, but it will cause you more pain. Prepare yourself."

Watching Viktor nod seriously, Ryan said no more. He manipulated the Shimmer, guiding it through Viktor's skin and into his body.

At that moment, Viktor's face immediately contorted in agony, and his body involuntarily trembled. Even Katarina, standing nearby, could feel the intensity of the pain.

But it wasn't long before Viktor suppressed his expression, trying to calm himself and endure the intense pain spreading throughout his entire body.

The Shimmer continuously surged into his body from all directions. First, his skin turned slightly purple, then it integrated into his blood vessels, embedded itself in his bones, and corroded his internal organs.

As the fusion began, Viktor felt a worm-like gnawing pain throughout his body. His entire being trembled involuntarily, but he gritted his teeth, not uttering a single sound.

However, the pain was still too intense, causing him to instinctively press down slightly with his feet.

Crack.

The ground cracked like a spiderweb, making Viktor's eyes widen involuntarily.

Normally, even pushing with his left foot was difficult for him; he wouldn't have had such strength.

After a long while, the physical pain gradually subsided, replaced by a tingling sensation throughout his body.

"Congratulations, you've passed the first stage."

Ryan's congratulatory voice rang out, bringing the somewhat bewildered Viktor back to his senses.

He twisted his body, feeling as if a shackles had been removed from him. Viktor's face showed gratitude.

"Thank you immensely. This body has never felt so good."

"Perhaps you should thank the creator more. He invented this potion that can bring infinite possibilities. You need to adapt to your body for a period of time, allowing your consciousness and soul to grow," Ryan reminded him.

Consciousness corresponds to the soul, and the strength of the soul depends on the body and mind. Whether it's strengthening the body or enhancing mental power, both can lead to an increase in soul power.

However, if external forces are involved, the soul needs time to grow.

"It will probably take 3 to 7 days. You'll have to hold out during these days, Miss Caitlyn and Ms. Camille will both be giving you trouble," Ryan said playfully.

"Evolution is at hand, and Zaun's vision is slowly being realized. No one can stop me."

Viktor dressed, covering the faint purple on his body, a look of unprecedented determination on his face.

"I believe that too, but everything in due time. Try out your new body."

Ryan smiled, gesturing for Viktor to take a few steps.

Viktor's face, however, showed a hint of hesitation. Perhaps he feared the sensation in his feet was an illusion, or perhaps he couldn't believe he had truly reached this point.

He took a deep breath, lifted his left foot, so light he couldn't feel its weight, moved it slightly forward, then gently set it down. Leaning forward slightly, he lifted his right foot, placing it parallel to his left.

This simple stepping motion filled his face with joy.

Immediately after, he began to stride happily, walking faster and faster, eventually breaking into a jog. His speed was considerable, far greater than before.

"This is the first time I've felt like a normal person," Viktor said, his expression a rich mix of nostalgia and extreme delight.

"This is just the first step. I don't object to you maintaining your current state; I think keeping emotions isn't bad," Ryan said with a smile.

"The joy of emotion is fleeting; only ascension can bring me eternity." Viktor quickly calmed down, shaking his head to decline Ryan's suggestion.

"I respect your choice. You'll do well no matter which path you take," Ryan said with a hint of regret in his voice.

"Speaking of which, I've made progress on what Excellency asked me to research."

Viktor pulled out a set of blueprints from the backpack he had brought from Zaun.

"This is my research on new soldier equipment. Using the alloy data Excellency provided, and incorporating Piltover's technological innovations, I've come up with the first conceptual design."

Ryan looked at the fully black and red knight armor on the top blueprint, immediately drawn by its magnificent appearance. But at that moment, Katarina flashed to his ear and whispered something, causing him to raise an eyebrow:

"The style perfectly fits Noxian aesthetics. If Miss Camille weren't meeting me soon, I'd be very happy to hear you explain it in detail."

"Excellency, I can explain it to you anytime. I'll leave the blueprints with you. I should return to Zaun now."

Viktor felt he had disturbed the other party for too long. Sensibly, he bowed and respectfully left the basement.