Chapter 7445  Sacrificial Duty

It was well within the boundaries of human biotechnological science to alter humans into elf-like beings.

After all, the stereotypical depiction of an elf was a slender humanoid with fair hair, flawless skin and pointed ears.

Even a third-class biotech company could develop simple gene mod treatments that could convert baseline humans into elf-like beings on the cheap.

Yet there was a big difference between these surface modifications and the creation of a true elven race.

The Terrans created the Grail of Rebirth in order to bridge this vast divide.

All of the genetic and physical modifications only served as the prelude of the true transformation.

Though Ves could not comprehend every mechanism of the Grail of Rebirth, he could still interpret enough elements to understand the overall purpose and intent behind its existence.

From the perspective of this divine artifact, the somewhat malformed human candidates who had undergone extreme augmentations could be seen as elf embryos.

They were still human in essence, but possessed many of the building blocks to transform into the Terran interpretation of an elf.

The only change that the wooden grail needed to facilitate was that of the soul.

The spirituality of an elf was fundamentally different from that of a human. The former truly possessed many advantages that could not be acquired through ordinary effort.

From developing a deep and permanent connection to Gaia to acquiring a universally strong affinity to the wood, earth and life E energy attributes, elves had been shaped to master the powers of nature in an extraordinary age.

Ves also noted that their designers, whoever they may be, had taken special care not to replace humans entirely.

Due to their extensive physical and spiritual changes, the elves all gained a bunch of powerful talents.

However, such extensive specialization also weakened their strengths in other areas.

For example, the elves would definitely excel at designing or piloting biomechs, but would never feel comfortable with conventional metallic mechs.

Their ability to shape and channel other E energy attributes also became impaired.

Perhaps a few exceptional individuals might be able to wield the power of fire like a master, but they would be the exception rather than the rule. Every elf would have to confront an uphill battle if they wanted to explore domains that were far removed from typical elven activities.

This was one of the main shortcomings of the elves.

The First and Second Elf had not misspoken when they described their group as a more specialized branch of humanity that just so happened to be able to pass on their traits through natural conception.

Of course, that did not exactly prevent the elves from making a play at independence.

As Ves continued to examine the art and craftsmanship of the Grail of Rebirth, he felt a profound appreciation as well as a bout of possessiveness.

He wanted to take away the wooden grail and keep it for his own purposes.

This was because he recognized one of the main aspects responsible for fueling the remarkable transformation ritual.

The main reason why the Grail of Rebirth existed was to serve as a container and controller of a remarkable liquid.

Ves could not figure out the precise composition of this complex substance, but he could tell that it was infused with powerful energies!

Chief among them was universal life energy!

This was one of the few high-grade E energy variations that he had come across.

Compared to the garbage-grade E energy that could easily be harvested from exotic radiation, the high-grade stuff could only be found from truly high-end sources.

One of the original reasons why Ves created Gaia was because he wanted to create an ancestral spirit that could function as a replenishable source of universal life energy!

Unfortunately, that plan had mostly fallen through when Gaia went AWOL and decided to pursue her own path.

He had made her too powerful at the start. He also suspected that borrowing the well-established myth of an old human goddess had infused her with a different identity and personality than his previous spiritual products.

Whatever the case, Ves had no way of persuading Gaia to supply him with her precious universal life energy.

He was relatively certain that she truly possessed the ability to generate universal life energy. This should especially be the case after she ascended into a True God.

That did not mean she could squander it at will. Universal life energy was extremely useful for many purposes, and Ves believed that Gaia reserved most of her production to strengthen her admittedly weak and inadequate foundation.

Therefore, Ves never held out much hope that he could acquire a batch of universal life energy from her. Gaia simply needed it too much. Even a True God like herself had plenty to fear in the Age of Dawn.

This was why the composition of the life liquid surprised Ves. Its existence along with her involvement in the elven initiative told him that Gaia had probably completed her initial stage of accumulation and begun to expand her power base.

By cooperating with the Terrans and pushing for the creation of a race that was literally programmed to worship her for life, Gaia was finally beginning to pursue her ambitions beyond mere survival.

She even went as far as to expend a small but precious amount of universal life energy to facilitate every individual elf transformation!

Ves couldn't determine whether this was a worthwhile or wasteful investment.

Universal life energy was truly precious. It could be used for so many purposes, from extending an individual's life span to recovering the most severely damaged organisms.

He did not believe that Gaia could produce enough universal life energy to transform the entire population of the Terran population into elves.

Not at this relatively early stage of her development at least.

Even if he had vastly underestimated her production capacity, she would still choose to reserve most of it for her own growth.

The elves may play an important role in her master plan, but they were ultimately helpers.

Ves slightly shook his head before withdrawing his fingers.

Though he wanted to spend more time on examining the Grail of Rebirth, it would be rude for him to covet another organization's prized possession.

He did not hold a monopoly on everything related to life.

"You are incredibly fortunate to be chosen to bear this artifact." He eventually told Yenya Aduc. "As its cupbearer, you will constantly benefit from its existence. It is one the strongest handheld sources of vitality in this dwarf galaxy. Let alone keeping you in peak health, whatever energies that it passively radiates will definitely nurture your spirituality and allow you to become a formidable qi cultivator even if you do not actively practice any method. This is especially the case for your special elf constitution, which is apparently designed with this in mind."

Much like his living mechs, the elves had apparently been designed with passive cultivation in mind. Just living and breathing allowed them to grow stronger in spirit over time. Although its efficiency was not particularly high, it would still ensure that even the laziest elf could grow into a competent qi cultivator in a few years!

The First Elf smiled in appreciation. "I appreciate your words, professor. Carrying the Grail of Rebirth is both a reward and a burden. I have chosen to undertake this responsibility willingly. For as long as I breathe, I shall dedicate my life to serving the Mother of Earth. She is the light of my life, the star of my eyes and the benefactor of our race."

That caused Ves to furrow his brows. "I admire your… sense of duty, but be careful not to get subsumed by thoughts that do not originate from yourself. The main concern I have is that your grail is so strong that it may affect your mentality in noticeable ways. The power disparity between you and your artifact is too great. Too much exposure is not necessarily a good thing. If you want to serve your deity better, then it may be a good idea to seal it once in a while."

He actually suspected that Gaia had a more nefarious purpose in mind when she bestowed this extraordinary duty on Yenya Aduc.

Perhaps the deity was molding the First Elf into a living avatar of herself. This sounded exactly like something that True Gods might do. What would be left of the original person once Gaia descended on her small and frail elven body?

Predictably, the cupbearer shook her head. "I cannot accept your advice. The Grail of Rebirth must constantly be held in my hands. This is the duty that is bestowed upon me by Gaia. Whether the consequences are good or bad, I shall embrace it all the same. Even if it leads to my death or personality erasure, I will not regret my decision. My ascension as the First Elf has already granted a great amount of honor and recognition to the Aduc Clan. My brothers and sisters are already benefiting greatly from my sacrifice."

Ah. So it was like that.

Ves had no way to dissuade Yenya Aduc from prioritizing her own life and wellbeing. She had already assumed her heavy duty knowing that she might have to sacrifice herself one day.

So long as her clan and relatives got rewarded for it, she would gladly give herself up to Gaia!

Ves wanted to rub his face at the thought. He did not exactly approve of her fanaticism, but a part of him admired her for her willingness to do good for her family.

It sounded too much like the Larkinsons.

"Very well." He eventually said. "I am glad to hear that you are at least cognizant of what you are doing. It would be problematic if you have assumed a duty without being aware of the consequences. I have several more questions about the nature of the elven race."

"Please ask, though I apologize in advance if I cannot supply you with adequate answers. Many secrets are withheld from my ears. The amount of confidential information that I possess is limited, and I do not have the right to divulge them to you. You will have to approach other Terran leaders for permission."

"I understand. Don't worry. My curiosity is not that deep."

He began to ask a bunch of basic questions. He wanted to comprehend their diet, their learning speed, their reproductive capabilities and more.

From what he got in return, the elves differed significantly from humans in these areas.

Reproduction alone was definitely a headache for the elves. Just like the former Seven Apex Races of the Milky Way, the elves gained a lot of inherent advantages, but paid for it by making it a lot more costly to expand their population.

Perhaps the elves no longer had to expend universal life energy to convert a human soul into an elven soul, but they still had to pay the hefty material cost to conceive and grow a 'pre-designed' designer baby!

The current template of Terran elves had been designed with first-class specifications in mind. This meant that only first-raters could afford to transform into elves or produce offspring of the same race.

As for second-raters and third-raters? They could forget about it unless wealthy benefactors within the Terran Alliance were willing to subsidize the process!

"Will there only be one variation of elf in existence?" Ves asked suspiciously. "I cannot help but notice that the barrier to entry is much higher for the less wealthy citizens of the Terran Alliance. Second-raters and third-raters will definitely feel left out of the party."

The First Elf made an uneasy expression. "You have touched upon an ongoing internal debate. There is indeed a discussion taking place about whether to create 'lesser' but more affordable variations of elves in order to open a pathway to elvenhood to the vassals of the Terran Alliance. No consensus has been formed as of yet. There are those among us who believe that elves must remain transcendent and aspirational. There are also those among us who are convinced that elvenhood must become accessible to the common man or woman. Both sides present good arguments, so we dare not make a premature decision."

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