Children shouldn't play with dangerous objects

After walking for a few minutes, Alistair reached the manor and was just about to enter when someone approached him.

"Young master, a package arrived earlier! It was sent using your name!" A servant said while holding a box that was wrapped in blue plastic.

'It arrived?' Alistair's eyes flashed with interest when he heard the news. Soon, a soft smile appeared on his face. 'Finally... I can start.'

"I'll take it from here, thank you." Alistair reached out his hand and took the package from the servant. He did so with great care.

After this, he quickly carried it and ran inside the manor. It was a big and luxurious manor, and obviously, the halls were wide.

Alistair navigated through it with ease thought and ran up a set of stairs before spotting his room and entering inside and locking the door.

Making sure that the doors were locked and the windows were sealed, Alistair started unpacking the package.

"It really is legit..." Alistair laughed to himself at the sight of the item inside.

A foul stench whiffed from the box and an ominous feeling crept up and sent shivers down Alistair's spine at the sight of the object.

"This is... A Honkai Beast's carcass..." Alistair spoke with fascination, wary, and curiosity towards the object.

It was a small object about the size of a fully-opened hand. It had a white armor-like hide, and a faint pink highlight was present underneath.

"I don't know which part of a Honkai Beast this is... But it's enough." Alistair felt his heart thump crazily at the sight of the object.

This was Alistair's plan to quickly grow stronger.

It's a known fact to everyone that if you're a straight male in the Honkai world, you're destined to suffer or die in one form or another.

This is because females have higher chances of adapting to Honkai and getting a STIGMA, compared to men.

However, Alistair was different. The blood of Schariac flows through his veins.

So, even though he was a man, there's a great chance that he's able to adapt to Honkai.

...And he just needed some stimulation.

As such, he secretly contacted a black market broker via anonymous identities and bought a Honkai Beast Carcass.

The broker promised to keep the confidentiality and discretion of the transaction. However, even if the broker tracks the package to House Schariac, they won't be able to figure out who bought it.

After all, House Schariac, like the other houses, also experiments with Honkai Beasts. So buying one isn't suspicious at all in the public eye.

As for who the Black Market Broker is, it was actually someone Alistair managed to easily find. After all, that very same broker also needs funding for their organization— an organization that yearns to regain its leader from the Sea of Quanta.

Contacting them is very dangerous, yes, but to their eyes and Alistair's, this is nothing more than a simple transaction. As such, he has no worries.

"..." Alistair looked at the Honkai Beast carcass and slowly approached it with his finger.

When he made contact with it, a sizzling sensation was quickly felt by him. A few seconds later, a faint pink marking soon started forming on his fingernails.

"...Tch!" Alistair quickly retracted his hand and saw that the faint pink marking slowly disappear. "Good... It still gives off the same effects as Honkai Radiation... Albeit slightly weak..."

"Now, all I have to is..." He looked around and saw his bed. He then walked over and took the blanket before tying up his left arm tightly. "This should somewhat do it."

He intends to build up immunity to Honkai. If he exposes himself to Honkai radiation slowly, the chances of him adapting to it would rise.

"Just you wait..." He tightly tied the blanket on how left arm with his mouth. "I'll survive in this world... And save her..."

With strong determination, Alistair once again approached the box and touched the Honkai Carcass.

"—Argh!" Suddenly, a burning feeling spread throughout his palm once he held the Carcass. 'It burns—!'

It felt like he was experiencing a second-degree burn, and it was slowly rising.

"Huff..." Alistar, however, kept holding on to the carcass with a twisted pained expression. 'Endure endure endure endure endure...!'

He felt something crawling up his arm, as if a worm was inside and was slowly making its way toward his body. Coupled with the burning sensation, it made him almost throw up due to the weird and painful sensation.

However, despite this, Alistair kept pushing on. Soon, the faint pink markings started creeping up his arm and toward his elbows.

It was then that Alistair finally let go of the carcass and dropped it back into the box.

"Huff... Huff..." Alistair breathed heavily before experiencing a sharp pain suddenly attacking him.

He quickly moved and buried his face in the bed that was behind him.

Mmgh—!

Muffled screams soon reverberated throughout the room for a few moments before finally subsiding.

"Haaa... Haaa..." Alistair lifted his head and a fatigued sensation washed over him.

Despite this, he stood up and looked at his arm. It still had faint pink markings, but they were slowly fading out.

"...it worked..." Alistair mumbled under his breath. Soon, a relieved smile appeared on his face. "I... I survived...!"

Normally, if one were to be exposed to Honkai radiation, the exposed area would either zombify or cause an infection that would spread throughout the body.

However, such things never appeared on Alistair. His arm, which was infected with the radiation, showed no sign of zombification or an infection.

That only meant one thing.

He has certain resistance towards Honkai Radiation... Which means...

"I have adaptability." He smiled whilst breathing heavily at this thought.

Although he can't be compared to the other Schariacs for their ability to manipulate Honkai energy, just the fact that he has adaptability towards Honkai is a big progress.

"I see this as an absolute win..." He smiled faintly before approaching and closing the box and hiding it underneath his bed.

Alistair had a simple plan.

Currently, at this time, Sirin has yet to awaken her Herrscher powers. The year was 1997— 3 years before the 2nd Honkai War.

Before that, Alistair must gather everything to prevent Cecilia's death on that day.

He knows that in his current condition, his opinions won't matter to anyone, but if he were to grow as a strong fighter in Schicksal, then... Perhaps he has a chance.

'Is this how that clown felt...?' He thought before resting. He intended to continue more after calming down his raging body.

*

*

*

Unbeknownst to Alistair, however, while he was busy in his room doing his experiments, a person was silently looking at his room.

During the time Alistair was trying to test his adaptability, the visitor of House Schariac arrived.

"Is something of the matter, Lord Overseer?" The current head of House Schariac— Alistair's mother and Cecilia's aunt— questioned.

Otto, who was looking with keen eyes at the closed windows of Alistair's room, narrowed his eyes green eyes with interest.

With an amused tone, he asked the head a question.

"How is Alistair been lately?"

"Alistair?" Another person among them, a lady with white flowing hair, asked. "Why does Lord Otto want to know about Alistair?"

It was none other than Cecilia Schariac. The promising "Herrscher Killer" that Otto is planning to groom to be his weapon.

Otto picked up a teacup and took a sip before answering with a faint smile. "I sense that he would be a child worth keeping an eye on."

"You think so, Lord Otto?" Cecilia nodded her head with a soft smile. "I believe Alistair would also be someone outstanding."

"I'm sure he will," Otto replied before taking a sip... Hiding the sinister smoke that appeared on his face. "Playing with something so dangerous... How courageous..." He muttered under his breath.

"Did you say something, Lord Otto?" Cecilia felt like she heard him speak.

However, he just brushed it off. "No, it's nothing."