Chapter 32: Anatomical Reward (Bonus Chapter for Donations)

9:00 AM.
The Alchemy Linguistics class concluded.
Xazo did not receive any experience rewards from the lecture.
It made sense, though; the purpose of the class was to memorize the knowledge in the textbooks. Since he had already self-studied "The Language of Alchemy," he certainly wouldn't receive rewards for memorizing the classic texts again.
The second class of the day was Anatomy. They had to go to Mrs. Morton's alchemy zone, where they were issued the basic textbook for this course—"Atlas of Anatomy"—before the start of the lesson.
The class would require students to dissect various living creatures... and since it was scheduled right before lunch, it was particularly effective for weight loss.
In the anatomy room, constructed of transparent glass, Xazo and Anjou shared a dissection table.
Mrs. Morton stood by the podium, on which sat a cage of white mice.
She was a professor of pharmaceutical alchemy, specializing in tonics and healing salves. Like Mars Morton, she had pale blonde hair.
Her chin was sharp, her eyes were a pale blue, and her expression was rigid. The corners of her mouth held a curve that resembled a sneer, and any boy or girl who caught her gaze felt an inexplicable chill.
Xazo swallowed hard, his throat bobbing. If not for that pale blonde hair, it would be hard to imagine that this rather grim-looking Mrs. Morton could be the mother of Mars.
"Time is up. Let us begin."
Mrs. Morton rested her arms on the podium and said in a steady tone:
"I am your anatomy instructor. Before you become mage apprentices, your dissection tools will be specialized scalpels, needles, scissors, and tweezers."
She picked up a pair of white gloves from the table and pulled them on with a flat expression. "I will also use these tools for demonstrations, rather than using spells."
"Snap!"
The waterproof, oil-resistant leather gloves fit her hands tightly, emitting a crisp sound.
"Distribute the dissection and recording tasks among yourselves."
Anjou stared at the white mouse cage in front of her, full of hesitation...
She was used to drawing portraits, animals, and natural landscapes, and had never imagined that one day she would have to dissect the very creatures that appeared in her sketches.
"Xazo, would you mind handling the blade?"
"No problem. Just help me with the recording."
Xazo pushed the notepad and pen on the table toward her and pulled the tray containing the dissection tools toward himself.
This course was highly practical. Harvesting experience through the standard way of attending class was easier than rote memorization.
One minute later, the division of labor within each group was complete.
Mrs. Morton manipulated a white mouse, causing it to levitate in mid-air:
"We dissect living things to better study alchemy, not to inflict cruelty. You must always remember this.
"Now, everyone, turn to page 11 of your 'Atlas of Anatomy'."
This page contained the dissection diagram of a mouse, explanations of the steps, and an introduction to the physiological structure of common rodents.
The first step of dissection was to ensure the subject lost consciousness completely without pain.
Mrs. Morton picked up a dissection needle and aimed it at the white mouse in the air:
"Watch my grip, the point of entry, and the angle. You can use a bit of force, but the most important thing is a sudden, decisive strike. Do not hesitate."
She shifted her position and the orientation of the white mouse so that all students could accurately imitate her.
"Pfft."
A sudden piercing sound rang out, and the lively, squirming mouse went limp, its limbs dangling uselessly.
"Now, you perform the procedure yourselves."
Mrs. Morton waved her hand, and the blood dripping from the mouse's wound flew into a glass bottle on the table.
Xazo carefully read through the content on page 11, etching the vital points of the white mouse into his mind.
Then, he held the mouse's body with his left hand, gently stroked its little head with his right, and picked up the needle, testing the angle to find the correct point of insertion.
"Ugh," Anjou covered her eyes, turning her head to the side.
Xazo took a deep breath.
"Pfft."
The white mouse struggling in his hand went still.
One strike, fatal.
The "Golden Finger" sent a congratulatory message:
"Successfully killed a white mouse. Precisely struck the vital point. Received an extra 100% experience bonus. Awarded 0.002 experience points.
"Detected that the host possesses the required knowledge of common rodents. Updating 'Detection Spell'...
"Update complete!
"Unlocked HP data for common rodents!"
Xazo placed the white mouse into a special glass container to allow its blood to drain and cast "Detection Spell" on the corpse.
[Biological Name]: White Mouse
[Species]: Common Rodent
[HP]: 0/3 (Deceased)
[Resistance]: None
[Strength]: 0
[Agility]: 1
[Endurance]: 0
[Vitality]: 0
[Perception]: 1
[Willpower]: 0
[Spirit]: 0
[Charisma]: 0
[Biological Specialization]: None
HP was now visible on the template!
Xazo cast "Detection Spell" on Mrs. Morton, but her HP remained "???".
He then used it on the white mice of other groups, and without exception, he could see their specific HP data.
The "Atlas of Anatomy" contained dissection information for hundreds of non-humanoid creatures, from white mice to livestock, and even wild beasts and raptors—any animal that was common.
If he memorized their vital points first and managed a fatal strike during every dissection, he could unlock the HP data for many animal templates!
And if there were ever an anatomy class for humanoid creatures...
Xazo felt an inexplicable chill.
"Is it done yet?" Anjou cautiously parted her fingers, peeking through the gap at the table. The white mouse lay peacefully in the container...
She looked around.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak..."
A white mouse with a needle stuck in its head had just fallen to the floor and was struggling; the scene was somewhat horrific.
"Ah!"
Anjou gripped Xazo’s arm with both hands, burying her face in his back.
Xazo’s mouth twitched. She had happened to pinch the sensitive spot on his elbow that made his arm go numb. "It's fine, that mouse has been caught and put back."
"Oh," Anjou released her grip, her cheeks flushed pink.
Inside the glass container, the white mouse's blood had nearly drained.
Xazo picked up the scalpel and tweezers and began the work.
The subsequent dissection process was quite bloody, and the smell was unpleasant. Just watching it was enough to feel the greasy texture of the flesh and tissue in one's hands.
Anjou, her face pale, compared the results to the examples in the "Atlas of Anatomy" and recorded the findings on the blank notepad.
Xazo felt quite uncomfortable while deconstructing the mouse, but as a boy, he had to grit his teeth and complete all the operations.
When he placed the final bone into the tray, a message appeared in his mind:
"Detected that the host has successfully dissected a common rodent in accordance with the content of the 'Atlas of Anatomy'. Awarded 0.01 Perception. Repeated dissections of this type of creature will not grant further Perception rewards."
The last time he had received a Perception reward was while driving a carriage.
Xazo recalled.
After driving the carriage for two or three months, he had received a total of 1 point of Perception, raising his attribute from 3 to 4.
The situation after that was the same as when he trained his strength with a micro-elastic ball; as driving the carriage became effortless, the Perception reward decreased sharply.
Dissecting a common rodent awarded 0.01 Perception... if he dissected every creature in the "Atlas of Anatomy," he would receive at least 1 point of Perception in total!
How wonderful!
Xazo curled his lips upward at the dismembered mouse. Since Anjou was quite timid, he could logically take on all the dissection work himself.
"What’s wrong with you... what are you smiling about..." Anjou asked, her voice trembling.
Xazo gave a light cough, composed his expression, and said in a somewhat serious tone:
"Look, I did a pretty good job, didn't I? I didn't waste the mouse's contribution."
Anjou compared his dissection results with the book; indeed, it was very well done. Her resistance to the anatomy class faded significantly.
She smiled and nodded: "Yes! From now on, you can handle all the dissection tasks."