Wizard: Start with Biological Transformation to Grind Experience

Chapter 605: Chapter 9: Distant Longing

Meanwhile, at the Ancient Ruins, in the Ancient Forest.

A thick lead-gray layer of clouds hung low, with fine snowflakes falling like goose down, silently covering the battle-scarred forest. The branches of the towering ancient trees donned a thick silver dress, and the snow underfoot reached above the ankles, making a soft "crunch" under each step.

The whole world seemed to have its mute button pressed, leaving only the rustle of falling snow and the distant, thunderous rumble of explosions — the sound of the battlefield, a reminder of the fragility of this stillness.

Avery stood alone by a small unfrozen lake deep in the forest. The lake water mirrored the lead-gray sky and falling snowflakes, as well as her solitary figure.

She wore a white snow combat suit for easy mobility, with a deep blue cloak bearing the insignia of the Tavendish family. Her hood was down, letting the cold snowflakes fall on her pale golden hair, forming tiny ice crystals.

Her gaze, slightly unfocused, fell on the lake’s surface. The clear lake water seemed like a mirror of time, reflecting not the grim winter of the present, but the snow-laden memory of the Ice Sealed Mountain Range.

In the ripples on the lake, a scene quietly emerged: the howling cold wind carrying bits of snow stung her face like knives. The young Avery was wrapped in a thick fur cloak, trudging through knee-deep snow, each breath forming a long plume of white.

Beside her was Lynch, equally bedraggled yet with a determined gaze. He kept a vigilant watch on the surroundings while pulling her arm to help her over the steep icy slopes.

Snowflakes clung to his wind-chapped red face, yet he broke into a reassuring smile when she nearly slipped, his teeth dazzlingly white in the cold. He shouted something, his voice torn apart by the wind and snow, but in those gray eyes was an unwavering concern and a sense of "I’m here with you."

The warmth of the memory dispelled the cold of reality. Avery’s mouth involuntarily curved into a soft, heartfelt smile. It was the only solace and reliance in endless flight and life-death crises. Lynch’s smile in the water seemed clearer.

Just then, a soft "plop" was heard.

The branch of a snow-laden pine at the lake’s edge finally snapped, sending the accumulated snow crashing into the tranquil lake!

Crash!

The clear mirror surface shattered instantly! The ripples spread out violently, dispersing the warm smile, the figures supporting each other, and the snowy scene of the Ice Sealed Mountain Range, twisting until they vanished into expanding rings.

Avery’s smile froze as if sealed in ice. The gentleness faded instantly, replaced by the cold reality. She sharply lifted her head, casting her gaze toward the forest’s edge — where the dense elemental mist hung heavily.

The mist roiled like a gray wall, flashing and bursting with red glows, green lights, and pallid lightning, accompanied by deep explosion sounds and faint battle cries, like a lurking giant beast ready to devour this last safe haven.

Gloom once again shrouded her delicate face, with the only thing visible in her emerald eyes being heavy worry and a barely veiled exhaustion. As the Tavendish family’s heir, as the symbolic commander for the forest’s resistance, the weight of the world rested on her shoulders. Every battle report, every casualty count, lashed at her heart like a whip.

"Tap...tap...tap..."

A somewhat stiff and uniquely rhythmic footstep approached from behind, making a dull sound on the snow.

Avery didn’t turn around, but the sound made her tense nerves relax slightly. She took a deep breath of the cold air, pressing down the gloom in her heart, and turned around.

It was Lisa.

But the Lisa in front of her was no longer the gentle and silent maid of her memory, always meticulous.

Her body was encased in dark, metallic leather with a steely sheen, covered with dense, centipede-like black stitches. Her joints were embedded with large, brass-colored rivets, and her exposed skin had an unnatural bluish-gray tint, faintly showing the metallic skeleton underneath.

Her left arm from the elbow down had been replaced with a complex, faintly blue metallic limb, its fingers sharp alloy claws.

The once lively eyes had been replaced with two precise lenses inlaid with dull red gemstones, emitting a slight "click" as they moved. Her neatly-groomed gray-white hair was the only remnant of her past.

This was a cruel creation of war. Lisa had nearly been completely destroyed in that initial attack.

Avery had poured in resources, even utilizing the power of the Judges, Codinos and Saros, to pull her soul back from the brink of collapse, barely placing it into this scarred body fashioned by both alchemy and necromancy. The cost was heavy — many memories, like torn parchment, could never be fully pieced together again.

Lisa’s ruby lenses turned to Avery, capturing the lingering heaviness on her face. A voice with a noticeable mechanical friction yet striving to mimic a soft tone sounded, "Avery...you...are unhappy. Lisa...hopes...you can...be a little happier."

She awkwardly raised her intact hand, covered with artificial skin, as if to touch Avery’s cheek, but halted midway, the joints creaking slightly.

Looking at Lisa’s condition, a sourness welled in Avery’s heart, but more so, there was warmth. She forced a smile, extending her hand to gently grip Lisa’s cold metallic limb, "I’m fine, just...want to be alone for a moment."

"There’s pressure, but I can handle it." Her voice was soft, yet carried an unquestionable firmness. As a commander, she had no privilege for weakness.

Lisa’s ruby lenses flickered, seemingly analyzing the truthfulness of Avery’s words. After a moment, she slowly nodded, and the synthesized voice sounded again, "Lisa...understands. Lisa...is here...because of...important news...to convey."

Avery collected her emotions, her expression turning serious, "What is it?"

If Lisa sought her out specifically, it surely wasn’t a minor issue.

"About...the neighboring...Jade Land..." Lisa’s speech was slightly broken, but the core information was clear, "Chaos...ended...Witch Domain...unified."

Avery was momentarily stunned, "Jade Land, you mean that neighboring Jade Land?"

She raised her eyebrows, puzzled, "Jade Land unified? How is that possible? That chaotic Black Witch Domain?"

The place infamous for chaos, black magic, and endless internal strife — it was a notorious quagmire. To unify it? The news seemed like sheer fantasy!