"Impossible."
Seth raised an eyebrow at Miria's immediate response.
Although her expression hasn't changed, it was quite clear from her shifted demeanor that her opinion of Seth has lowered.
"…And why do you think so?" He couldn't help but ask.
I mean, sure, there might not be any case of it ever happening or it might seem somewhat ridiculous to say but impossible…? That's gotta be pushing it, right?"
"Look here, you… are you messing with us?!"
Hearing his follow up question, the short haired claymore scowled and stepped towards him but was held back by ponytails.
"Don't be rash, Queenie… let's hear what he has to say."
She said firmly as she placed a hand on Queenie's shoulder and pulled her back.
"But Crystal—"
"Just wait."
"Tch!" Queenie kissed her teeth as she crossed her arm.
Seeing this, Crystal sighed.
Although, she could fully understand where Queenie's anger is coming from as even she herself, who is usually calm and kept to herself couldn't help but feel a little irritated at this moment.
But now's simply not the time. Allowing Queenie to continue might lead to unforeseen circumstances.
She took a quick glance at Clare behind Seth with her hands on her weapon, ready to draw.
If she had let her fellow warrior do what she wanted, someone would have lost their lives by the end.
Everyone present could tell this.
Seth scratched his head awkwardly.
"Excuse her outburst. Queenie has a short temper and is easily angered."
Miria spoke up to alleviate the hidden tension.
"No problem," he shook his head. "I guess I should've gotten to the point at the start. Clare, would you please…"
"Sure."
Their eyes zeroed in on her.
Watching every detail as Clare slowly removed her top piece and laid down her claymore.
As soon as the last layer of clothing fell, gasps immediately rang out as the girls froze upon seeing the state of Clare's body.
"W-wha—"
"Is it… truly possible…?"
"…"
Eyes widened and mouths gaped in disbelief as the three saw the current state of Clare's body.
Free from any blemishes that one might receive from fighting dozens of yoma, Clare's pearly white skin looked unusually soft and squishy—nothing like the warrior she was.
Above all else, the signature scar on a claymore's abdomen is nowhere to be seen.
It was as if she had never received harsh treatment in her life. Like a brand new body.
Stunned speechless, a multitude of thoughts ran through Miria's head as she tried to remake sense of what she was seeing.
Her composure faltered for a moment.
She slowly turned her head to the man standing beside Clare, meeting his smug gaze as she calmed down slightly.
"So what do you think?" Seth smiled as he asked.
"It's… it's unexpected." Miria admitted. "Though I still don't buy what you said before."
She said plainly.
Seth scratched his head then shrugged.
"Fair, I guess."
Queenie scoffed from the sidelines, though her earlier aggression had dulled significantly.
"Of course it's not believable."
"…At the very least, we now know you can heal our bodies and that's plenty."
Beside her, Crystal added.
"Tch, yeah," Queenie muttered. "If we can get rid of that disgusting scar and heal our bodies…"
Crystal nodded quietly. "That would already change alot."
Even though they don't have any life outside of slaying yoma and carrying out missions, they are still girls.
Walking around with big open wound that won't heal that even bandits won't even try to rape them had made their self esteem reach all time low.
Naturally, they wouldn't turn down an opportunity like this.
Miria thought strategically for a moment.
"What do you gain from helping us? What is the motive behind your offer?"
Hearing their party leader's words, it finally came to Queenie and Crystal's attention that he was offering them help without them knowing what's in it for him.
They turned to study his expression.
Nothing is truly free in this world—that much she knew very well. The Organization takes in traumatized young orphaned girls from places that have survived a yoma attack.
They mainly target girls with no family or relatives left to return to, then train them to become Claymores.
These girls are taught and conditioned to believe they are monsters who don't deserve even a shred of kindness from anyone.
So when someone tries to offer help for the first time, any inexperienced Claymore is likely to accept.
That's why, at this moment, it falls to her—someone who has dedicated herself to protecting her fellow comrades—to hear Seth's reasoning and make the best possible decision going forward.
Let's hear your reasons… They all waited.
Though contrary to expectations, instead of some noble speech or carefully worded justification, Seth just shrugged.
"Amma be honest… knowing that one day, you beautiful girls like you will become such ugly creatures. It doesn't sit right with me. So since I have the ability, might as well extend a helping hand and earn brownie points."
Silence.
Queenie blinked.
"…What?"
Crystal stared at him.
"…That's it?"
Miria didn't react immediately.
She just kept looking at him, trying to see if there was anything hidden behind that answer.
There wasn't, which made her a little flustered.
Seth scratched his cheek like he didn't just drop the most unserious answer possible.
"I mean… yeah," he continued casually. "That's pretty much it."
"You're joking."
"Nope."
Crystal tilted her head slightly.
"…You expect us to believe that's your only reason?"
Seth spread his arms.
"It's the most serious one."
They all stood in silence, exchanging glances with each other, before Miria finally made a decision.
"When can you begin the procedure? Let's decide on a specific time and place."
Everyone finally settled.
He had been waiting for them to finish their decision and it seemed that they did but her words confused him.
"Why wait… I can do it now."
""You can?"" Crystal and Queenie synced.
Seth nodded.
"Wouldn't something like that be time consuming? I'm sure there's a healing process…"
"Not in the least… At most, it would take about five minutes."
Miria's brows furrowed, wondering whether or not he was pulling her leg.
He nonchalantly raised his hand as dark veins pulsed in his index finger and began morphing.
The peculiar scene made them become guarded.
Grabbing the handles of their claymore, they prepare for any suspicious behavior.
Ignoring them, Seth continued.
"With this, I'm gonna do what I did to Clare, to you. I'll enter your body and destroy the aggressive instincts in yoma cells in your body. Your body's regeneration will handle the rest."
He glanced at them.
"…So who's first?"
Seeing as he wasn't doing anything and was waiting for them, they eased
"I'll do it."
Before the others could do so, Miria stepped forward and volunteered.
"Good." Seth flashed a smile.
Under their astonishing gaze, he quickly created and placed down a blanket for her to lie on.
"Remove the armor and I'll need some blood..." He informed them, putting down his sword before pausing, adding:
"A tiny amount—just a drop. Don't want a repeat of what happened with Clare again."
He shot Clare a teasing glance, making her turn away from him.
Following that, although she was a bit confused, Miria made a small cut of her finger and held it over his palm as the droplet fell.
Subsequently, it was quickly absorbed and assimilated.
Clenching his fist, he said to Queenie and Crystal, "I'll absorb yours once I'm finished with Miria," before kneeling down beside the blanket.
Miria was already on her back.
She watched as Seth calmly stabbed her with his finger and felt something invading her body.
She stiffened.
"What's happening?!" The others exclaimed seeing her expression.
"Don't worry… this is standard procedure."
Just like what he had done with Clare, he quickly found Miria's heart and allowed her flood flow to spread his virus.
Locating each individual cell took absolutely zero effort. They were everywhere.
Latching onto them, Seth promptly began rewriting.
Moments later, he pulled back.
"Are you already finished?"
Crystal leaned over his shoulders. Isn't that a bit too fast?
She wondered if he even did anything.
"Take a look for yourselves."
Seth pointed towards Miria's chest area.
Steam could be seen rising from under her two piece suit.
"Wha…what's happening?!" Miria gritted her teeth as an intense burning sensation rummaged through her chest. "Mgh! It burns!"
Savagely, she ripped open the shirt allowing her supple mounds to burst free and jiggle, but she didn't seem to care.
Only then did she get to see the source of her agony.
"I-it's… healing?"
Queenie's mouth gaped as she gawked at the wound forcefully shoving the stitchings out from the skin and mending itself shut.
Seconds later, the wound finally closes and the burning sensation she felt slowly dissipates allowing Miria to calm down.
She breathed slowly.
"Are you okay?!"
"How do you feel!? Any different!?"
Queenie and Crystal immediately began questioning her.
"I feel… lighter… As if a massive weight has been lifted off my shoulders," Miria said incredulously as she stood up.
"I'm being flooded with yoki energy!"
"That's your body reaching harmony, is what I like to call it."
Seth said matter-of-factly.
"""Harmony?"""
Eyes turned to him.
"Yes. I mentioned it to you before, didn't I? I simply made it so that the yoma side of you can no longer take over…"
He pointed at her and Clare and smiled.
"Both of you have become true hybrids. You can use yoki as much as you want without turning."
Miria's face became complicated. Earlier when he said he could prevent them from becoming awakened, she hadn't believed him.
Seeing Clare's body free of its ugliness, she had only assumed that that's all she would've received as well.
But it seemed she was proven wrong.
Because she could keenly sense that a certain pressure had evaporated from her body as soon as Seth finished.
She felt whole. Complete—like a missing puzzle piece had found its place.
Miria slowly clenched her fist.
Yoki surged through her limbs—obedient to her conscious commands.
"…This is…" she muttered under her breath.
She stopped it. Let it flow, stop it again before letting it flow.
After repeated testing, she felt no backlash or creeping sense of losing herself.
She had been reborn anew.
"…It's really gone," she said quietly.
Queenie and Crystal froze.
"…What?" Queenie blinked.
"The pressure… the instability… it's not there anymore," Miria continued, looking down at her hands.
Her words weren't loud or exaggerated but it had carried weight.
Chapter 27 end.