Chapter 3 – The First Experiment
The quill still lay broken on the desk. The candle he had merged earlier burned with unnatural brightness, its steady flame a constant reminder of the impossible truth now embedded in his very soul.
Glic—Edward—leaned back in his chair, his mind racing.
The Super Merge System was real. Quantified. Structured. Predictable. It was everything the Merge Stone had not been. For a scientist, this was paradise. For a wizard, it was a weapon.
He tapped the desk with his finger, muttering, "If merging even a candle works, then what about something alive? What about… a creature?"
But before he could spiral deeper into his thoughts, a firm knock resounded against the study's oak door.
Knock. Knock.
Glic's sharp eyes narrowed. "Enter."
The door opened, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man dressed in the Goldbear household's dark-green livery. His hair was graying at the temples, his posture ramrod-straight despite his age. His presence carried the weight of decades of service.
It was Steward Halwen, the head of the Goldbear estate's administration.
Halwen bowed slightly. "My lord Viscount, forgive the intrusion, but there are pressing matters requiring your attention."
Glic straightened in his chair, slipping easily into the noble's demeanor etched into his inherited memories. "Speak, Halwen. What demands such urgency at this hour?"
The steward cleared his throat. "The merchants of Rivermark are pressing for lowered tariffs on lumber shipments. They claim the Crimson Alliance raids along the northern trade routes have raised costs beyond tolerance. If we refuse, they threaten to shift their contracts to House Veynar."
Glic frowned. Even without fully digesting all of Glic's inherited history, Edward's instincts as a strategist told him what this meant. Rivermark's merchants were vital for moving Goldbear goods downriver. Losing them would weaken the family's already tenuous standing.
But more importantly… this was not urgent enough to derail his thoughts.
"Halwen," Glic said smoothly, "arrange for the merchants to be received at dawn. I will speak with them myself. Until then, maintain current tariffs. If House Veynar wishes to play at poaching contracts, let them. We shall counter with more favorable credit terms."
The steward raised a brow, clearly surprised by the decisiveness. The old Glic had often wavered in business disputes, more comfortable with books and experiments than negotiations. Yet he bowed. "As you command, my lord. I shall make preparations."
He hesitated, then added, "There is another matter. The apprentices at your Sub-Magic Pen await your inspection. They request guidance on the feeding of the alchemical beasts."
Now that caught Glic's attention.
The Sub-Magic Pen.
A small facility within the Goldbear estate grounds, used to house low-level magical creatures for experimentation and training. Most noble families maintained such pens; they were essential for both apprentice education and minor magical resource harvesting.
A thought sparked in Glic's mind. "Halwen," he said, his lips curling into a faint smile. "Summon the handlers. Have them prepare one of the larger beasts—a giant frog, if we have one available. Deliver it to the pen. I wish to… conduct a personal trial."
Halwen blinked at the odd request, but his loyalty overrode curiosity. "At once, my lord."
As the steward departed, Glic's eyes glinted with anticipation.
A living subject. Yes. This will test the limits of the system.
---
The Sub-Magic Pen smelled of damp stone, straw, and faint traces of alchemical residue. Torches burned along the walls, casting flickering shadows on the reinforced cages. Apprentices scurried about, bowing hurriedly as their lord entered.
In the center pen, handlers dragged forth a creature bound in runed ropes: a giant frog. Its slick, warty green skin glistened under the torchlight, its bulbous eyes rolling nervously as it croaked. The beast squirmed, its long legs kicking against the stone floor, but the bindings held firm.
The handler bowed deeply. "As you commanded, my lord, one giant frog. Captured two weeks past near the Fae Marsh. Medium-tier, unaligned. Quite docile, though it has swallowed three of the apprentices' cats."
The frog gurgled wetly, as if in confirmation.
Glic waved the apprentices and handlers away, leaving only himself in the chamber. "Good. Now leave me. This is a private matter."
The handlers exchanged nervous glances but obeyed.
Silence fell. The frog's heavy breaths echoed against the walls.
Glic stepped closer, his eyes burning with scientific hunger. He raised his hand, summoning the system panel with a thought.
---
> [Spell Merge Module: Active.]
Available 0-Ring Spells: Spark, Minor Cleanse, Mana Thread, Acid Splash.]
Select target for merge: Giant Frog (Beast).
---
"Acid Splash," Glic whispered.
Mana surged through his veins, a faint burning that pooled in his chest before rushing outward. He extended his hand toward the frog, his will guiding the system. Threads of emerald energy wove from his palm, sinking into the frog's skin.
The creature croaked violently, its body convulsing as greenish veins of light spread across its surface. For a moment, Glic thought it might explode like the failed experiments of his past life.
But then—stability.
The glow dimmed. The frog stilled. Its eyes, once dull, now gleamed with a faint acidic shimmer.
The system chimed in his mind:
---
> [Merge successful.]
Result: Acid Spittle Frog – A giant frog mutated with Acid Splash spell.]
Abilities gained:
– Acid Spittle: Ranged attack, 15 ft. spray, 1d6 acid damage.
– Swallow (Enhanced): Target takes additional 1d4 acid damage per round while swallowed.
[Host Bonus: +1% Constitution permanently acquired.]
---
Glic staggered, his eyes widening as warmth spread through his body. His muscles tightened slightly, his lungs expanded with new strength. It was faint—barely noticeable—but it was there.
A permanent enhancement.
He clenched his fists, exhilaration surging through him. "It works. It truly works. Even with a creature of this level…"
He turned his gaze back to the frog. The creature croaked once more, but now its throat sac glowed faintly green.
"Fascinating…" Glic whispered.
This was no simple experiment. This was evolution. Controlled, structured, directed by his will.
With every merge, he gained not only a modified subject but a permanent portion of its strength. The implications were staggering.
Imagine an army of merged beasts. Imagine armor infused with regeneration. Imagine bloodlines reshaped not by centuries of breeding but by direct fusion.
He laughed softly, the sound echoing eerily in the pen.
"Edward McAllister died in pursuit of the Merge Stone. But Glic Goldbear… Glic Goldbear will live to wield the Super Merge System. And through it, I will surpass every wizard in this world."
The frog croaked again, acidic spittle sizzling as it splattered against the stone floor, leaving a smoking scar.
Glic's smile widened.
Yes. This was only the beginning.