chapter: 23 Existence of Teigus

As Leo handed over the documents to Geralt, he swiftly donned his mask and began to turn the doorknob to leave the office. However, his movements halted abruptly when Geralt called out to him from behind. 

"Got something on your mind, kid?" Geralt's inquiry reflected his deep understanding of Leo's guarded nature, especially when it came to discussing his revenge targets, a behaviour that Leo was exhibiting once again

Geralt's observational skills had been sharpened over the years, granting him extraordinary insight into the behaviors of others.

"Che, you've got me figured out too easily, old man," Leo remarked, clicking his tongue in frustration. He acknowledged that he could never keep anything hidden from Geralt.

"Experience teaches you to read people," Geralt replied calmly, his gaze fixed on Leo as he held the documents.

"........."

"What's on your mind, kid?" Geralt inquired, noticing Leo's distant stare.

"......The words you just said... My mom used to tell me the same thing," Leo responded slowly, his composure returning.

"........" 

Geralt remained silent, feeling a bit out of his depth in comforting Leo.

"Don't worry about it," Leo said, diffusing the tension. He changed the subject and approached Geralt, handing him a blood-red pill.

"What's this pill?" Geralt inquired, examining the crimson pill with silver edges.

"It's a pill made from my blood, capable of instant healing. At least, that's what I overheard the crazy bastard muttering during my years of imprisonment in the laboratory,"

Leo explained, his voice tinged with bitterness at the memory of his captivity. 

Leo's revelation left Geralt stunned, his gaze shifting from the pill to Leo's face as he absorbed the gravity of the situation. 

"That's a significant uncovering," Geralt stated, his voice becoming rigid and his expression turning cold. 

"And you think this pill is truly made from your blood?" he inquired, trying to grasp the full extent of the revelation.

"I have a feeling that this pill is indeed made from my blood," Leo continued, his tone growing more sombre.

"I recovered it from a slave trader's vault. After torturing the bastard, he confessed that he didn't know the person's identity–they always wore a mask and full body suit.

I'm pretty sure the jerk had his men take care of this.

The pill was given to him as payment for supplying male slaves for twenty years." 

Leo responded to Geralt, his voice betraying a controlled rage towards the gay bastard who had subjected him to years of cruel experimentation and drained him of his blood to the brink of death.

"That sick bastard profited from selling my blood as pills to fuel his twisted desires for more slaves," Leo seethed, his fists clenched tightly. 

He knew that giving in to his rage now would serve no purpose; he would unleash it upon the perpetrator in due time, relishing every moment of his eventual confrontation, especially when exacting his vengeance by gouging out the bastard's eyes.

"What do you intend to do with the pill, and what else are you keeping from me?" Geralt's direct gaze made Leo flinch.

After a moment of hesitation, Leo sighed and decided to divulge the rest of the information.

"Initially, I wanted to destroy the pill, as it reminded me of my weakness during my time in that hellish laboratory," Leo began, his voice tinged with bitterness. 

"But I realised it could be useful in dangerous situations. My body may regenerate over time, but healing large wounds takes time, which could be perilous in battles.

If the pill truly grants instant regeneration, combined with my healing factor, it could prove invaluable." 

Leo explained, watching Geralt closely, hoping his explanation would suffice so he could leave.

"........."

Under Geralt's unyielding gaze, Leo knew he had to come clean about what he had been hiding.

"Okay, okay," Leo relented, his tone resigned. "I sneaked into your office and read some documents while you were away.

I was looking into the children sold as slaves by slave traders over ten years ago, trying to discern the bastard's selection pattern for his experiments," he confessed to Geralt.

"And what did you find?" Geralt inquired, his expression betraying a mixture of curiosity and irritation at Leo's breach of trust.

"Nothing conclusive," Leo admitted, his mind racing for a plausible escape from the consequences of his actions. 

"It seems the bastard didn't have a specific pattern. There were no suspicious entries, except for some involving imperial officials selecting certain special children,"

He explained, hoping to deflect Geralt's anger and evade punishment for his indiscretion.

"Hmm, I'll look into the matter you mentioned. It does seem suspicious for imperial officials to purchase young children instead of adults for labour," Geralt mused, tucking the files away in his drawer.

"Leo, before you go," Geralt called out, causing Leo to pause in his attempt to leave the room.

"The Revolutionary Army's higher-ups are impressed by your performance in several missions over the past months. As a result, they've decided to grant you an opportunity to get a Teigu,"

Geralt announced, While Leo's eyes instantly became wide open at the mention of getting a Teigu. Leo knew the existence of these magical relics.

Due to his immense strength, the weapons he used always ended up getting destroyed quickly. As a result, Leo had already searched extensively for powerful weapons, but he couldn't find one to acquire.

After years of reading various documents and consulting Geralt about powerful weapons, Leo had learned about the existence of Teigus. 

While they shared similarities with his storage artifact, the gulf in quality and power between the two types of artifacts was vast.

Leo was well aware of the stark contrast between his low-grade storage device and the legendary Teigus. These artifacts were creations of a different league altogether.

Legend had it that Teigus were commissioned by the First Emperor himself, who assembled a team of artisans, engineers, scientists, alchemists, and even mystics to craft these powerful relics.

Through their combined expertise, they fashioned special artifacts from the parts of high-ranking danger beasts and rare ores such as super steel and Orichalcum.

However, tragedy struck when nearly half of these Teigus were lost during a civil war that occurred about five centuries ago. 

Some Teigus met their end in battles or were otherwise destroyed, leaving uncertainty about the number of surviving relics from the original ones.

Despite the passage of time, the allure and mystery surrounding these ancient artifacts still persisted.

Leo understood the significance of the Revolutionary Army's acquisition of Teigus over the years. 

These powerful relics had the potential to shift the balance of power in any conflict, making them invaluable assets in the ongoing struggle.

Despite knowing that there were likely various circumstances behind his selection to wield a Teigu, Leo recognized the opportunity it presented. 

While it was unlikely for the higher-ups to entrust such a weapon to a 13-year-old, Leo's unique abilities and circumstances made him an exception.

With a powerful Teigu in his possession, Leo's combat prowess would skyrocket, bringing him closer to achieving his goals.

Leo understood that seizing this opportunity was crucial for his future missions and endeavours.

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch, kid," Geralt cautioned Leo, tempering his excitement. 

"First of all, a user must be compatible with the Teigu in order to wield it.

In this situation, the Teigu I'm talking about has more perilous circumstances, and I'll go into detail tomorrow when assessing how well it suits you."

Geralt cautioned Leo to temper his excitement and lower his expectations regarding the Teigu.

He knew that while these relics granted incredible powers to their wielders; they were not infallible, and even users of Teigus could still perish in battle, as they were ultimately human.

Leo nodded, understanding Geralt's warning. While Teigus granted incredible powers, they also came with risks, and compatibility was paramount.

"Okay, I'll head to my dorm now," Leo replied calmly, his expectations now tempered by the reality of the situation.

"Where do you think you're going, kid?" Geralt's voice rang out, halting Leo in his tracks. 

"I haven't punished you yet for breaking into my office without permission. In half an hour, meet me in the training hall for your punishment."Leo flinched at Geralt's stern words. 

"Sure, I'll be there," he replied, swiftly fleeing the room, aware that it was wiser not to argue and provoke Geralt further, as it would only lead to a more severe punishment.