Shim cut Milo open with one hand, while using the other to draw spell formations that kept the blood out of the way. From what Alec could see, the spell formations also served to keep Milo alive. It was similar to putting him on life support.

Shim's consideration for Milo's survival would have kept Alec's rage in control if not for the fact that Shim was playing around. He had no idea what he was doing.

He was just poking around and looking about inside Milo's torso like he was checking for worms in the most barbaric way possible. There was no rhyme, reason, or method to Shim's madness. He was blindly fumbling for anything that had anything to do with Milo's monsterification.

Alec wanted to tear his shackles off and tear Shim apart. A loud voice was telling him to do just that, starting with the shackle around his stump.

But a silent voice in the back of his mind reminded him of two things.

There was the possibility that he might not be able to use magic even if he removed one shackle.

And, more importantly, if he succeeded, what would happen to Milo?

Shim was a crazy psycho, but he knew what he was doing. He would patch Milo up, just as he had done with Alec.

Alec didn't know how to do that. If he succeeded in ambushing Shim, he would kill not just Shim but Milo as well.

That was why he watched.

He didn't blink even a single time as he memorized the spell formations Shim used, in which order and situation, and what he was doing with the tools. He was going to remember it all, even the parts that [Reader] didn't help him with.

He watched Shim raise Milo's organs into the light and twist and turn them while they were still attached to the young boy's insides to get a better look.

He saw Shim's mounting frustration as he continued looking without finding what he was looking for.

Eventually, Shim gave up. There were no signs of monsterification yet. But it was taking a toll to keep all the spells running while also digging through Milo. He couldn't keep looking until the signs showed themselves.

With an irritated sigh, Shim patched Milo up and tossed him back into the cell.

Alec drilled a hole into the back of Shim's head with his eyes until the old man left. If looks could kill…

As soon as he left, Alec removed the wrapping on his stump so that he could slide the shackle off it. It felt like he was removing a cast for the first time in weeks. It was like his skin could breathe again.

It was just a small area around his wrist, but it was better than nothing. But more importantly, he could use a little mana. His output was severely limited, and he wouldn't be able to cast any powerful spells, but he could give Milo a Reinforced Recovery, albeit a weaker version that wouldn't force his body to devour itself to heal.

Alec kept playing with spell formations while waiting for Milo to wake up. Even after he woke up, Alec didn't talk to him.

Words wouldn't help Milo.

What would help Milo was a spell that would defeat Shim and free them both.

Fortunately, Alec's intense staring during the operation had revealed something. Shim constantly covered himself with a barrier.

It wasn't anything extreme, but it would stop an ambush and give him time to defend himself. He had to come up with a spell to pierce it and Shim in one go. He also needed to figure out a way to get rid of the other shackles.

The fact that they were made of Nilver made them immune to magic. It would be different if he could cast powerful enough magic to destroy them. But he estimated that he would need at least two more circles for that.

That meant he had to pick them or incapacitate Shim with the magic he could muster in one arm and grab the key from him.

In the midst, Alec was also thinking of ways to figure out monsterification. Given Milo's circumstances, it was a top priority.

He had figured out a way to improve Scan. Irritatingly enough, the magnifying glass that Shim used had inspired him. By modifying the formation and adding a few runes that were common in light spells, Alec managed to make Scan zoom in on a specific area.

It still needed some fine-tuning, but in due time, he was confident he could get to the bottom of monsterification.

Hopefully, he could do it before Milo transformed.

Unfortunately, Alec was not that lucky.

Some more time passed, and Milo fell asleep again. Shim appeared to be busy elsewhere, so Alec started working on picking the lock on his shackles by creating a metal wire.

It was tricky, but it felt very doable.

However, before he could make any real progress, a crack rang out from Milo's cell. It was swiftly followed by another. It was the sound of breaking bones or cracking joints.

Alec looked over and saw Milo twitching on the ground like he was being poked by invisible cattle prods. He couldn't move from the pain, but he managed to look at Alec with tears in his eyes.

Alec knew what was happening.

Milo mouthed a final message.

A series of cracks rang out before Milo stiffened and then relaxed to lie still like a dead fish. His eyes were glazed over without a hint of life. But his skin shone with vitality, and the scar from the operation a little while ago was gone. In fact, his entire skin appeared to be blemish-free and spotless.

The only exceptions were the two small, pointy black horns that sprouted on his forehead.

'No…!'

Tears beaded in Alec's eyes. But he hastily wiped them away as Milo stood up with smooth movements.

Milo's head whipped to the side and looked at Alec with the same dead eyes as any other monster Alec had seen. The same bloodthirst rose from his throat as well.

Milo had completely transformed into a monster.

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