"My neural responses had sped up, my thoughts were accelerating too, and the world in my eyes had become clearer. If I looked closely enough, I could even make out the tiniest changes in a beam of light's spectrum..."
"But why?" Isengard's voice was filled with confusion now. He muttered softly, "Mother clearly didn't inherit the Sun God Bird's blood—otherwise, she would never have married into the Ellen Family... A royal daughter capable of inheriting the Sun God Bird could never be married off. Other nobles would have to marry into the royal family instead!"
"Mm."
Ian nodded slightly. What Isengard had said was precisely what he had observed. Whether it was a spiritual neural network or a Light-Spirit, both were things that had to be shaped from the moment the soul emerged, yet could only fully take form at the Third Energy Level.
It was only natural for Isengard to be afraid. In barely over an hour, he had gained a neural network system that even ordinary Second Energy Level peak Ascenders did not possess—one without the slightest delay, capable of transmitting immense quantities of information like optical fiber.
Of course, Ian had possessed such abilities as early as the First Energy Level because of the Silver Chip, so he was not surprised in the least. Only after pondering for a while did he slowly say, "I have a guess, Isengard."
He paused before voicing his thought. "I think you might not be the first generation of 'research subject.'"
"Afrina Ellen. Or rather, Afrina Setar—the royal daughter most beloved by the Landkeeper, Axel—was the first generation of 'research subject.'"
The guess clearly stunned the blond youth as well.
"Mother?"
He clenched his fist, then slowly loosened it. "It's possible... But Grandfather..."
"Yes."
Ian lowered his gaze, suddenly enlightened. "Axel