Wizard: Unlimited Profession Slots Chapter 1231 - 498: Vital Distortion_2

"The first tester is the Apprentice Alchemist Reid from the Elemental Garden."

"Cedric designed a virtual experience for him as ’becoming the greatest Alchemy Master in history.’

In the virtual world, he created the ’Philosopher’s Stone’ capable of turning stone into gold, earning the admiration of all his peers."

In the footage, Reid initially appeared normal, even with a satisfied smile on his face.

But as the experience deepened, a terrifying transformation began to emerge.

His body began to exhibit distortions similar to those of the Vital People.

However, since human bones are far less resilient than those of the Vital People, each "Vital Twist" would result in real fractures.

Crack!

Reid’s left arm bent at an unnatural angle, white bone spikes piercing through the skin.

Yet, his face maintained that obsessive smile, as if pain had lost its meaning to him.

"When the virtual experience ended and Reid returned to reality, faced with his still mediocre situation, his psychological defenses completely collapsed."

The footage showed the chaos of the accident site:

Reid was furiously attacking everything around him, his fractured arm waving chaotically in the air, blood splattering across the lab bench.

"No! This isn’t real!"

His roar was heart-rending:

"My world wasn’t supposed to be like this! I should be a Master! A Master admired by everyone!"

The young alchemist tried to use the remaining Magic Power to "correct" the lab into the perfect form he remembered.

Magic Power surged around him in a Frenzy, attempting to transform the cold metal walls into a splendid Alchemy Workshop.

But the cruelty of reality made his efforts seem so ludicrous.

Each failed attempt deteriorated his mental state further.

Finally, when Cassandra arrived personally at the scene, Reid was already completely insane.

He was curled up in a corner of the lab, clutching his broken arm, repeatedly muttering:

"Eternal... Eternal glory, why pull me back to this ugly reality..."

"The situations of the second and third testers were much the same."

Cassandra fast-forwarded the footage:

"One immersed in false memories of ’saving all humanity,’ and another fantasizing about becoming the immortal Witch King."

"The results were complete psychological breakdowns.

Now, they are both locked in special wards in the medical department, becoming people who only repeat specific words."

Ron watched the footage of those once vibrant young researchers, now existing like the walking dead.

The cruelty of turning vibrant lives into waste made him feel a wave of nausea.

"Cedric himself also began to reveal some of his true nature."

Cassandra pulled up another piece of footage, with Cedric himself as the central figure this time.

In the footage, the once gentle and elegant young scholar was conducting an exceedingly horrifying "self-experiment."

He extended his right arm into a dish filled with Abyss Worms.

The black worms pounced on the fresh flesh like ravenous beasts, their sharp teeth tearing at his skin and muscles.

"Forty-seventh compound pain data... Pain intensity 8.3... Combined with fear factor 2.1..."

Cedric recorded the data in a flat, emotionless tone, as if the arm being gnawed wasn’t his own.

There was a fervor in his eyes that transcended madness, an expression that reminded Ron of the most extreme ascetic devotees.

"To perfect the pain database, Cedric had already conducted hundreds of similar experiments on himself."

Cassandra was somewhat revulsed:

"Burning, frostbite, corrosion, tearing... He’s attempting to quantify the detailed parameters of every kind of pain."

"The most fatal thing is, he seems to have developed a pathological dependency on pain.

Only in extreme pain can he maintain relatively normal thinking."

This description reminded Ron of Chai Ye.

The pathetic existence that could temporarily unify three personalities only through violence and self-mutilation.

The pursuit of power always seems to come at the cost of reason.

"You see, Ron, this technology is far more terrifying than we imagined."

Cassandra’s tone sounded like she was discussing the performance of a new type of weapon:

"It seems your earlier judgment was likely correct; this thing indeed isn’t suitable for use as a conventional weapon."

Ron thought Cassandra would announce the termination of the project, or at least severely punish Cedric for his violations.

But her next words sent a chill down his spine.

"However, it’s a double-edged sword, and of course, it has its useful aspects."

Cassandra pulled up the final piece of footage:

"Though it can’t be used as a ’virus’ for now, as a ’torture device,’ its effect is surprisingly good."

That was the Expeditionary Army’s prisoner camp, where several defector Wizards were fixed to an improved experience device.

All of them had vacant smiles on their faces.

"I’ve already ordered the application of the basic version in the prisoner camps of the Fourth Quadrant and among our internal deserters."

"Let them repent in eternal, inescapable ’happy dreams.’ This is far more merciful than mere death, and much more effective."

"Regarding Cedric himself..."

A subtle change appeared in her expression:

"Though his actions violated safety regulations, the accident report and data he submitted are indeed valuable."

"I’ve decided to confine him to the Seventh Floor until the project’s completion, but the project will continue under his full responsibility, with resource permissions upgraded by one level."