The lab hummed with a new energy, a quiet power that mirrored Arthur's own.
Neo, now dressed in simple, dark clothes, moved with a newfound purpose, organizing tools and materials as Arthur poured over the complex diagrams for Penny's transformation.
The air, once thick with ozone and tension, now carried a subtle hum of anticipation.
Arthur tapped a finger against a glowing schematic.
"The core challenge is to integrating a soul into an artificial body without causing catastrophic system failure or, worse, irreversible damage to the soul itself."
He paused, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow.
"It's a delicate field between magic and technology, and a misstep could be disastrous."
Neo, standing quietly beside him, tilted her head.
She couldn't speak, but her expressive eyes conveyed a question.
"It means,"
Arthur translated, glancing at her,
"I can't just slap a soul in there and call it a day. Penny's very essence, her memories, her personality—they all need to be carefully woven into a new, organic form. And that requires a unique magical signature, something truly… divine."
He felt the subtle thrum of his own power, the "Low Tier Godling" status pulsing beneath his skin.
This was where his new abilities would truly shine.
The next few days blurred into a focused, intense period of work. Arthur, fueled by his new godling status and an almost limitless wellspring of energy, delved deep into the intricacies of Penny's design.
He found himself thinking in equations of magic and biology, envisioning the subtle interplay of aura and cellular structure.
He began by creating a base. Not just a body, but a vessel designed to house a soul.
Using his Reality Blending (Partial Released) power, he began to manipulate the very fabric of existence, not to create something from nothing, but to refine and optimize.
He took samples of Penny's existing artificial components, analyzing their energetic signatures, and then, with precise magical intervention, began to infuse them with organic properties.
It was like teaching metal to breathe, to grow, to pulsate with life.
Neo proved to be an invaluable assistant.
Her stealth and precision, once used for infiltration and assassination, were now directed towards delicate lab work.
She could handle the most intricate instruments with a surgeon's touch, her silent movements never disrupting Arthur's intense concentration.
When Arthur needed a specific tool, a rare component, or even just a specific crystal to amplify a magical circuit, Neo would silently anticipate his needs, often having it ready before he even voiced the request.
Her presence, once a silent threat, was now a comforting, efficient shadow.
One afternoon, Arthur was working on a complex runic inscription, designed to stabilize a soul during the transfer.
He held a glowing stylus, his hand steady, when a flicker of doubt crossed his mind.
He was powerful, yes, but this was a creation of life, a manipulation of the very essence of being.
There were ethical considerations, risks he couldn't ignore.
He paused, exhaling slowly. "Even with my power, there are… unknowns," he mused aloud, looking at the intricate patterns.
"The soul is a fragile thing. To bind it to a new form, to give it new life… it's a responsibility I don't take lightly."
Neo, who had been meticulously cleaning a set of arcane glass vials, stopped her work.
She walked closer, her gaze fixed on the glowing runes.
Then, she reached out a small hand, and with a surprising gentleness, patted his arm.
It was a silent gesture of reassurance, a quiet acknowledgment of the weight he carried.
Arthur looked at her, a faint smile touching his lips.
"You're right," he said. "No room for hesitation."
He resumed his work, the runes flowing seamlessly from his stylus, each line imbued with his intent.
As the initial stages of Penny's new body began to take shape, a new hurdle emerged.
While Arthur could technically force the transformation, he believed in respecting the original creator.
Penny wasn't just a machine; she was the product of immense effort and love from her father, Pietro Polendina.
"I need to speak with Pietro,"
Arthur declared one morning, looking up from a particularly dense magical formula.
Neo, who had been observing his work from a comfortable perch on a lab stool, blinked.
"He's her father, in a way,"
Arthur explained, sensing her unspoken question.
"He poured his life into creating her. To transform her without his knowledge or consent would be… disrespectful. And potentially cause him immense grief."
He paced the length of the lab, his thoughts racing.
Pietro was a brilliant scientist, but also a deeply sensitive man. How would he react to the idea of his daughter, a marvel of engineering, being turned into a human?
Would he see it as an improvement, or a desecration of his life's work?
"This isn't just about magic and science,"
Arthur continued, gesturing broadly.
"It's about family. About choice. I can't just impose my will, even if it's for her own good. Not without a conversation."
He stopped, turning to Neo. "You're good at being unseen," he said, a glint in his eye.
"Find out where Pietro Polendina is. Discreetly. I need to arrange a meeting. This conversation needs to happen face-to-face, and without the prying eyes of the Atlesian military."
Neo nodded, her eyes already alight with purpose.
She was no longer just a silent follower; she was an active participant in his grand plans.
Within moments, she had slipped out of the lab, a whisper of movement in the humid air, off to gather the information Arthur needed.
As Neo embarked on her mission, Arthur returned to the still-evolving schematics of Penny's new form.
The sheer complexity of it was exhilarating, a puzzle worthy of a god.
He knew he had the power, the resources, and now, with Neo's unexpected loyalty, the assistance to achieve this ambitious goal.
His Dragon's Aura pulsed, a tangible representation of his expanding influence.
He was no longer just Arthur Leywin Stark, a rich step-son of an individual.
He was a God, a being capable of reshaping reality, of mending broken lives, of challenging the very laws of nature.
The weight of this title, far from being a burden, felt like a catalyst, pushing him to achieve even greater feats.
He looked at the partially formed ethereal blueprint of Penny's new body, shimmering with nascent magical energy.
It was beautiful, intricate, and held the promise of a truly human life.
The thought of Penny, no longer constrained by gears and circuits, but feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin, experiencing the full spectrum of human emotion, filled him with satisfaction.
The world outside his lab was still reeling from Cinder's defeat, but Arthur was already looking ahead.
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