They had retreated deeper into the forest, finding a hidden recess among large, moss-covered rocks, far enough from the main road to feel safe, yet close enough to observe. Kenzo sat by the edge of a small stream that flowed past, staring at his reflection in the calm water's surface.
The face staring back at him was that of a fugitive. His jet-black hair felt like a sign screaming his identity to the whole world. Next to him, a silent Lina, with her bright yellow hair, was like a second beacon. They wouldn't last a single day in a city.
A simple disguise, like a hooded cloak or walking in the shadows, wouldn't be enough. They would be hunted. Sooner or later, the hood would come off. They had to change their biological features.
'Prometheus,' Kenzo thought, his mind racing. 'A simple disguise won't work. We have to change our basic features. This hair... can we engineer it? Can I change my hair's pigment using magic?'
There was a brief pause. It was a crazy hypothesis, a leap from manipulating external energy to engineering internal biological matter.
[Analyzing request,] Prometheus's voice finally replied. [The theory of magic as 'code' implies biological matter can also be modified, as it is essentially a system governed by complex formulas. This is untested. Initiating deep scan of the Host's hair follicle structure. Please channel a very small, precise amount of mana to your scalp.]
Kenzo closed his eyes, concentrated, and channeled a nearly invisible flow of mana, as instructed. He felt a strange tingling sensation as Prometheus began to "scan" his cellular structure.
[Analysis complete,] Prometheus reported a few moments later. [This is a significant discovery. The pigment in your hair is not based on melanin, unlike the Earth database. Its structure is a semi-magical particle that actively responds to and absorbs ambient mana from the environment. I will name this fundamental particle: 'Aetherin'.]
Kenzo's heart beat a little faster. A new system had been revealed. 'Aetherin... So, can you engineer it?'
[Yes. Analysis indicates you possess what I will classify as 'Umbra-aetherin', a very dense and stable structure that absorbs all energy spectrums. Theoretically, I can calculate the precise magical resonance frequency to shatter its structural bonds, rendering it neutral. This will change its color to white. This is a high-precision procedure, equivalent to Tier 4 magic.]
Prometheus paused briefly before delivering a cold warning. [Warning: There is a 35% probability of failure, which could result in permanent follicle damage, extreme pain, or loss of consciousness from neural shock.]
A 35% risk. Kenzo opened his eyes and looked at Lina, who was watching him anxiously, as if sensing the tension from his concentration. He would never, under any circumstances, take that risk with her. He had to be the first test subject.
'We have no choice,' Kenzo thought firmly. 'I'll do it on myself. Now.'
He turned to Lina and tried to smile, though the result looked more like a strained grimace. "Lina, I'm going to try something. Something that will help us hide. It might look a little... strange. But I need you to stay here and don't worry, okay?"
Lina didn't understand the details, but she could see the danger in Kenzo's expression. She shook her head slowly, her large eyes filled with fear, and her small hand grabbed the hem of his sleeve.
Kenzo just patted her head gently. "I have to do this so we can be safe."
He then sat cross-legged, turning his back to Lina so she wouldn't see his expression if something went wrong. He closed his eyes and began the magical "operation" on himself.
This was not like throwing a fireball. This was like trying to thread millions of needles simultaneously in the dark. He formed countless "vibrating needles" of mana, guided by Prometheus's frequency calculations, and had to target every single one of his own hair follicles at the same time.
Cold sweat began to drench his temples. The concentration required was immense. He could feel his dense Aetherin fighting back, refusing to be changed.
Then, his focus wavered for a split second. The frequency destabilized. A sharp, burning pain exploded across his entire scalp, as if thousands of hot needles were stabbing into his brain. Kenzo flinched violently and gritted his teeth, barely holding back a scream. He was losing control.
"Big brother Kenzo!"
He heard Lina's panicked voice behind him. Suddenly, he felt a small, trembling hand grab his free hand and grip it tightly. That simple, worried physical contact. It became his anchor.
Kenzo took a deep breath, ignoring the pain that still throbbed, and refocused his mind on Lina's grip. He stabilized his mana flow, locked back onto the correct frequency, and pushed forward once more.
This time, he felt the resistance shatter. The burning sensation faded, replaced by a strange emptiness. After several tense minutes, he completed the procedure.
He opened his eyes, panting, feeling a mental exhaustion far deeper than any physical fatigue. He raised a trembling hand to his head. His hair felt the same, but as he pulled a strand before his eyes, its color was no longer black. It was pure white, like snow.
He turned to Lina, who was staring at him, her mouth slightly agape. Kenzo had succeeded.
"Now it's your turn," he said, his voice a little hoarse. "Don't be afraid. I know how to do it now."
Though tired, he held his hand over Lina's head. He needed to analyze her Aetherin. [Analyzing subject 'Lina'. She possesses 'Luxa-aetherin', which is highly reactive. Its structure is not dense; it actively draws in Light energy. The procedure will be different. We do not need to destroy it; we simply need to 'drain' the Light energy connected to it. This is much safer and painless.]
"Close your eyes, Lina," Kenzo said gently. "This won't hurt." Lina, having seen Kenzo make it through his own ordeal, was much more trusting now. She nodded and shut her eyes tightly.
The procedure on Lina went much more smoothly. Kenzo didn't need to use the destructive frequency. He only had to create a mana "drain," gently pulling the stored energy from the girl's hair. The visual was far more beautiful; her bright yellow hair didn't just fade, but seemed to dim slowly, as if its light was being turned down. From golden yellow, to pale blonde, to silver, and finally settling at the same pure white as his own.
When it was finished, Kenzo felt dizzy from the exhaustion, but he had succeeded.
He brought Lina to the river's edge. Two figures stared back at them from the water's calm surface. It was no longer Kenzo the programmer and Lina the village girl. The reflection showed two white-haired strangers, like ghosts of their tragedy. Their old identities were gone, buried with their village.
Lina hesitantly touched Kenzo's white hair, then her own. A silent moment of acknowledgment of their new reality.
Kenzo stood and looked toward the main road in the distance. Their new disguise was fragile, but it was a chance.
"Alright, Prometheus," he said, his voice tired but firm. "Let's find a city. It's time to start gathering information."