That afternoon, inside the workshop.
"Hm… Creating the Ascended Armor for Varus has indirectly pointed me toward a direction for researching Tayanari's genetic serum."
Duke gazed at the gene map floating before him, holding a control probe shaped like a marker pen.
"I already had some ideas before, but now… it seems I might actually be able to start this project."
"Life, by nature, instinctively resists external interference. If that's the case, I must be extremely careful with the carrier for Tayanari's genetic serum. Different genetic enhancements require different carriers."
"I did promise Garen a dose earlier… With how sturdy he is, he should generate excellent test feedback."
Duke adjusted the gene map, aligning two different genetic structures and fusing them together. The resulting helix sprouted many chaotic, irregular branches.
"A gene map spirals like a helix, but calling it a massive tree wouldn't be wrong either."
Observing the newly grown, messy branches, Duke worked like a meticulous gardener, pruning away unnecessary parts one by one, leaving only the most stable and effective structure.
"What I need to do is merge multiple genes together, then prune the genome like a bonsai tree—determine the evolutionary direction, and in the end… leave the rest to the genes themselves."
He recorded the insights he had just gained, then archived the newly refined gene map.
"Boss, Tahm is back!"
Irides relayed the message, and Duke raised a brow, surprised that Tahm managed to finish his task so quickly this time.
After all, that fat catfish was famous for dragging his feet. Seeing him return so efficiently was unexpected.
In truth, Duke had no idea how much psychological trauma he had accidentally inflicted on Tahm.
Ever since forcing him into signing the unequal contract, Duke had constantly used the Void to scare him—until today, when Duke finally let Tahm see Kai'Sa.
And Duke openly revealed his intention to research the Void.
Tahm, as one of the oldest demons, carried countless ancient secrets in his memory. He had witnessed mortals evolve from primitive farming to civilization, watched empires rise from desert sands, and lived through the shifting ages of the continent.
He understood better than anyone both his strengths and weaknesses… and the sheer terror the Void represented.
The Void brought annihilation—absolute nothingness, the erasure of existence itself.
Demons, born from human negative emotion, were eternal as long as humanity existed. They had no concept of death.
But the Void could erase even the concept of death.
Duke's decision to study the Void had terrified Tahm to the core.
Otherwise, the Nocturne hiding in Duke's shadow wouldn't have been forced into hiccuping from all the fear Tahm was accidentally radiating.
And on top of that, Duke dangled a huge promise in front of him—telling Tahm that if he performed well, he would be rewarded with the Waters of Life.
The Waters of Life flowed from the Oasis of Dawn—the heart of Shurima's imperial capital, mother of all life that birthed Shuriman civilization.
Its healing waters could, with ease, bring Sivir back from the brink of death.
As the River King, Tahm felt an irresistible attraction to such a thing.
Thus, for once, he carried out Duke's orders with earnest seriousness.
"Let him in."
Duke set aside the control probe. The laboratory doors slid open automatically, and Tahm waddled in, tipping his hat in greeting.
"Boss, I found information on that little stoneweaver's tribe."
"And I have another piece of news—half good, half bad. Which one would you like to hear first?"
Faced with Tahm's theatrics, Duke glanced toward the incubation tank.
The homunculus inside was created using Sivir's blood as a foundation, but lacked Sivir's solar lineage.
After all, the blood used had lost its vitality—so it was expected the bloodline power didn't manifest.
Duke pressed a button, initiating disposal, then looked at Tahm.
"What did you just say?"
Seeing the homunculus slowly dissolve in the tank, Tahm swallowed hard. Duke was becoming more terrifying—stealing divine creation authority and succeeding at it.
Monster… a devil… something even demons feared.
"You do realize I can hear every single thought in your head, word for word, right?" Duke said with a half-smile.
Tahm flinched violently and instantly regretted everything he'd just thought, wanting to slap himself twice.
He had forgotten Duke could monitor his thoughts.
"S-Sorry, Boss! I absolutely meant no disrespect!"
"Oh please. After all this time, you think I don't know how much you resent me inside?"
Duke rolled his eyes and pressed another button. "Irides, call Taliyah here."
"Understood, Boss. I've contacted her."
"When she arrives, you'll tell her about her tribe yourself. As for the half-good half-bad news… You can tell me afterward."
"Yes."
Before long, Taliyah entered the laboratory. She circled around Tahm and approached Duke.
"Mr. Duke, you were looking for me?"
"I have news about your tribe." Duke uncorked his flask as he pointed toward Tahm. Hearing that, Taliyah turned to the River King, anxiety and anticipation mixing in her eyes.
"Little girl," Tahm said, clearing his throat, "regarding your tribe—I did find their trail. They migrated north, toward the Oasis of Dawn, and entered the ruins of the old imperial capital."
"My tribe… entered the capital?"
Taliyah covered her mouth, stunned.
Tahm shrugged. "That's what happened. A group of sand-bandits drove them into the city."
"I don't know what happened afterward. The imperial capital has Ascended within. If I barged in recklessly, I would provoke them… and likely be attacked."
"Thank you, Mr. Tahm!"
Taliyah bowed respectfully. "Your information means a great deal to me."
"Haha… Think nothing of it."
Tahm couldn't help laughing, covering his forehead with his tiny hands.
Even he didn't expect someone would ever sincerely thank him.
"All right, Taliyah. Take some time to think about your next step. Will you go straight to the Oasis of Dawn, or continue traveling with me and change course halfway?"
"I understand, Mr. Duke."
Taliyah nodded, then left the laboratory with heavy thoughts. She needed time to decide.
After she left, Duke turned to Tahm. "Now—what's the other piece of news?"
"Uh… Before that, Boss, I need to ask: is Original Sin not with you right now?"
Tahm recalled what he had accidentally witnessed and didn't rush into the main topic.
In his view, whether Original Sin was present could drastically affect the situation.
"They're separated from me for the moment, for certain reasons. I gave Pride full freedom of movement."
"I see…" Tahm nodded. "Well, Boss… your three-headed dog is currently blasting a Wraith Spirit to kingdom come. Are you sure that's okay?"
"Pff!"
Duke spat his drink. "What did you just say?"
"I saw your Cerberus near a river south of the Naremak Desert. He's chasing a Wraith Spirit and giving it a hell of a time. And the spirit seems to be plotting a counterattack."
"No wonder Pride couldn't locate Wrath… Seems Wrath is still following my last command."
Immediately, Duke understood.
Before Duke was teleported away, he commanded Wrath to knock Xerath out of the sky.
From the looks of it, Wrath took that command very seriously.
He chased Xerath all the way from Vekaura to Naremak—and had no intention of giving up.
But if he kept charging forward alone, Duke worried Xerath might pull something trickier.
Tahm watched Duke fall into deep thought and didn't interrupt.
Half an hour later, Duke finally lifted his head. Tahm, meanwhile, had been staring fascinated at the incubation tank, unable to understand how such a container could nurture life.
"If you're that curious… I can let you soak in one of these tanks."
Duke's sudden comment made Tahm jolt back, smiling awkwardly.
"I was just curious about the liquid inside…"
"It's similar in composition to the amniotic fluid of a mother's womb—but with a few differences."
Duke waved a hand. "All right, what's the half-good half-bad news? Speak."
That woke Tahm up instantly. He leaned in with exaggerated secrecy:
"Boss… While I was searching for the stoneweaver's tribe, I went to the region around So'unsa—and I sensed the presence of World Runes."
Duke's eyes twitched. "World Runes?"
Tahm nodded. "Two of them."
He held up two stubby fingers.
"One is hidden deep within a seal. The other has been fused into an evil entity."
"I sensed them from afar. Thought it might matter to you, so I investigated. Both are inside a ruin labyrinth buried under the sandstorms of So'unsa."
As one of the oldest demons, Tahm naturally knew of the World Runes—he had even felt one up close before, after which he spent three hundred years drifting dead-like in a river.
That trauma etched the memory deeply in him.
This time, sensing the Rune was sheer coincidence. He had been near Naremak's southern rivers because he spotted Wrath—and So'unsa was also south of Naremak.
Duke, however, hadn't expected Tahm to deliver such a huge surprise.
No wonder he asked if Original Sin was with him.
One of the World Runes was indeed in Shurima—a fragment hidden by Ryze, sealed within So'unsa until he could secure it properly.
The other fragment, fused into an "evil being," could only be
Brand, the Burning Vengeance.
End of chapter....
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