Chapter 395: Spiritual Blood Resurrection
"Of course."
Mahiro naturally had no intention of deceiving Natsuki Minamiya.
Nor was there any need.
Reconstructing the Prison Barrier was, for him who had once analyzed its structure, an almost laughably simple task.
Especially since the prison was now completely empty, with all criminals having been cleared out.
All it required was re-inscribing a Space-Time Transfer Magic.
And a Space Barrier Magic.
That would suffice.
As for Concealment Magic, he couldn't be bothered to add it.
Placing the prison in plain sight held far more deterrent power than some elusive urban legend.
Besides, this ancient castle resembled a scenic historical site awaiting visitors more than a prison.
"Truly surprising that you would go this far for the Witch of the Void."
Giada stood on the rusted bridge at the edge of the artificial island, letting the sea breeze tousle her long hair.
Gazing distantly at the castle-like prison that resembled a hidden sanctuary, she couldn't resist teasing Mahiro.
Mahiro simply shrugged, replying in a nonchalant tone:
"What can I do? She's my dear. If I don't spoil her, who will?"
"Who's your dear?! Aren't you already satisfied with having Aya?!"
Natsuki Minamiya immediately retorted loudly.
"Huh? Isn't she? Does Natsuki-chan really think she can escape from me now? Don't you want your Prison Barrier anymore? You wouldn't want to watch it collapse before your eyes, would you?"
At these words, Natsuki Minamiya was left speechless.
Frustrated and flustered, she could only grit her silver teeth and say resentfully:
"Hmph, you're ruthless!"
With that, she used Spatial Transfer and vanished from the spot.
Though her flushed face before leaving clearly showed she was embarrassed.
With the person in question gone, the others naturally had no intention of continuing the teasing and promptly left the Prison Barrier area.
They returned home to see what was happening.
But as soon as they entered the villa district, they were met with the bewildering sight of ruins resembling a battlefield.
"Wait, what's going on? Yukina, where's your house? Your huge house?"
Mahiro was completely dumbfounded.
He had originally planned to stay at Yukina's place for the night and have Gamma find another house tomorrow.
But now, Yukina's house was already in shambles!
It looked on the verge of collapse!
Yukina stepped forward somewhat awkwardly to explain, and Mahiro understood the reason.
It turned out Kou Amatsuka had appeared, intending to attack Kanon, but was intercepted by Delta and Zeta, resulting in this scene.
However, one thing piqued his curiosity.
"Delta, Zeta, you two couldn't keep Kou Amatsuka here?"
At this, Delta's head drooped dejectedly, her fluffy tail and the two ears on her head hanging low.
"Wah... Sorry, BOSS, Delta accidentally let the prey get away."
Indeed, she had gotten too carried away and swatted Kou Amatsuka away with one slap, causing him to disappear.
She tried tracking him by scent, but he hadn't left behind any trace.
In contrast, Zeta seemed somewhat justified.
"My lord, you only ordered us to protect the target, not to capture them."
She appeared to be sulking, dissatisfied that Mahiro had tasked her with protecting these little girls.
Hmm, she does have a bit of a kitten's temper.
But then Zeta suddenly pointed at Delta and said:
"However, it is indeed this stupid dog's fault. If she had taken her work seriously, Kou Amatsuka wouldn't have escaped."
"What did you say, you little cat?! Delta was working seriously!"
Provoked by Zeta's words, Delta immediately bristled.
"Can letting a dangerous person escape be called serious work?" Zeta leisurely swayed her slender tail as she retorted calmly.
"Ahhh, you're infuriating! You little cat did nothing at all, yet you're blaming everything on Delta! Delta thinks you need a lesson!"
"Come on then, do you think I'm afraid of you?"
Like sparks meeting gunpowder, the two immediately engaged in a full-blown fight.
The already dilapidated villa area became even more precarious.
In the end, it was Alpha who stepped in, giving each of them a punch, which finally calmed them down.
She then turned to Mahiro and apologized:
"Sorry, Mahiro-sama. I will take over the follow-up regarding Kou Amatsuka."
"It's fine. Kou Amatsuka's escape isn't your fault, and he's just a small-time character anyway. I have an idea where he might go."
Mahiro smiled confidently.
That guy's only possible destination right now is Adelard's Abbey.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
The alchemist who attacked Kanon was now staggering through the dimly lit mountain forest.
Just as Mahiro had guessed, Kou Amatsuka was fleeing in a sorry state toward the abbey on the mountain behind Saikai Academy.
He couldn't swallow his pride.
He never expected that a great alchemist like himself would be defeated by a beast, and in such a humiliating way!
Originally, he had planned to first absorb the spirit medium to enhance himself, then obtain that Spirit Blood.
But who would have thought two beasts would appear and disrupt his plans!
If that beast hadn't foolishly slapped him away at the most critical moment, he might have really died there!
"But it's fine... the Spirit Blood. As long as I revive the Wiseman's Blood, I can still absorb the spirit medium afterward!"
Thinking of his beautiful, immortal future, Kou Amatsuka couldn't help but burst into laughter.
His mad laughter echoed through the mountains, completely unaware that the skull on his staff now flashed a faint red light in its deep eye sockets.
Soon, Kou Amatsuka had passed through the dense forest and arrived before the abandoned abbey.
He even took the time to straighten his clothes and adjust his collar before heading toward the abbey, appearing to take it very seriously.
He entered the interior of the abbey, ignoring the meowing sounds inside, and stopped before a metal statue.
Playing with his favorite staff, he gazed at the metal relief.
Although judging from the abstract patterns carved on it, it was difficult to discern what it was meant to express.
But for a fleeting moment, the figure of a woman could be seen emerging.
She was a young beauty with exotic features, dressed in bold attire.
From time to time, as if reminiscing fondly, he narrowed his eyes, gazing tirelessly at the relief sculpture.
The tranquility of that moment was shattered by the rough footsteps of men approaching from behind.
Three men in suits halted their steps behind him.
"Hello, Senior Managing Director! You've arrived surprisingly early!"
Turning slowly to look over his shoulder, the young Alchemist smiled at the suited man standing before him.
He was a bald, middle-aged man, sweating profusely. Though his height appeared to be less than 160 centimeters, his obese build exuded an oppressive sense of intimidation.
At first glance, he gave the impression of a capable corporate executive.
The men in sunglasses following behind him were bodyguards, accompanying him for protection.
"You're early for the agreed time. Do you have the Spirit Blood?"
Unfazed by the overly arrogant attitude—perhaps already accustomed to it—the man addressed as the Senior Managing Director wiped the sweat from his forehead and snorted in irritation.
It had taken him great effort to rescue Kou Amatsuka and secretly bring him back to this island.
If it weren't for the promise of immortality, he would have long ordered his bodyguards to eliminate this domineering "young man"!
"Of course. See the relief sculpture before you? This is the legacy left by my master," Kou Amatsuka said with a smile.
"Still, it just looks like an ordinary statue."
Turning his gaze to the relief on the wall, the suited man laughed coarsely.
His laughter was unmistakably malicious.
"Don't rush. It's still dormant, so it appears as ordinary metal. It needs a medium to awaken it."
Kou Amatsuka's tone grew serious.
What he retrieved from under his coat was a crystal-clear, deep red sphere.
The gem he had taken from Kanase Kensei's home.
Kou Amatsuka brought the gem close to the relief, gently touching its surface.
"Look, it's awakening now."
In that instant, the sculpture underwent a dramatic transformation.
Its surface rippled like waves, rolling like tentacles, instinctively trying to swallow the gem, but Kou Amatsuka evaded it.
Its form was reminiscent of a jellyfish awakening from a state of suspended animation.
A metallic jellyfish glowing with a blood-like crimson luster.
"I see, that's the control core!"
The suited man's eyes fixed intently on the gem in Kou Amatsuka's hand.
"Exactly. It's a fusion-type liquid metal lifeform with powerful self-replication capabilities—a magical tentacle designed to harness the Sage's Spirit Blood!"
Kou Amatsuka moved the gem away from the relief, and the crimson metallic jellyfish returned to its original form as a metal sculpture.
It was not a creature that existed in the natural world.
It had no fixed form and was indestructible.
If one could transplant their soul into this immortal metallic lifeform, they would achieve true immortality.
What made this miracle possible was the crimson gem—the control unit known as the core.
"By transferring consciousness into the Alchemy Core, the fusionist can maintain their own awareness even while merging with Spirit Blood. By transforming their body into an immortal metallic lifeform, they obtain a lifespan approaching eternity."
"Immortality, and possessing magical power that can rival the Progenitor of Vampires!"
The man in the suit wore an expression of longing as he stroked the surface of the relief.
His eyes shimmered with endless vengeance and a thirst for power.
"With that power, I'll surely give those who drove me off the board and transferred me to this remote location on the artificial island a big surprise. Not only that, I'll uproot that entire group."
From his words, he seemed to be a pitiful soul who had been forced out of the board of directors at some corporation.
"This should be interesting," Kou Amatsuka remarked with an air of detachment, placing the Alchemy Core before him.
Catching the gemstone that was heavier than expected, the suited man felt his heart burn with fervor, yet also harbored some doubts.
"This Alchemy Core is a relic left behind by your master, isn't it? Are you really fine with giving it to me?"
His doubtful gaze turned toward Kou Amatsuka.
It seemed strange to him that Kou would so easily hand over such a treasure-like Alchemy Core.
After all, the Sage's Spirit Blood was the ideal state pursued by alchemists.
So far, the only one who had successfully created it was the Great Alchemist Nina Adelard...
"Of course, I promised you, and I no longer need it. Five years ago, you saved me when I should have died in an accident. Thanks to you, I was able to create a Pseudo-Alchemy Core very similar to this one!"
Kou Amatsuka revealed a ferocious smile.
Pulling open the collar of his coat, he exposed his chest, which had been hidden until now.
What appeared there was Kou's emaciated right half, which had already lost its human form.
Lustrous metallic Spirit Blood was eroding half of his body.
In place of his heart, there was a black stone.
Though it resembled the Alchemy Core, the stone was a murky black.
It seemed that the black stone was barely maintaining his human form, preventing him from being completely consumed by the Spirit Blood.
"Hmph, a fine mindset!"
The bald man in the suit nodded with satisfaction, gazing lovingly at the crimson gemstone in his hand.
He had originally been a member of the board of directors at a major corporation on Itogami Island. However, due to an internal scandal, he was stripped of his position as chairman and exiled to this remote part of the island.
Five years ago, he and Kanase Kensei had handled matters at Adelard's Abbey.
At that time, Kanase Kensei discreetly took away this red Alchemy Core, while he rescued Kou Amatsuka, treated his injuries, and secretly helped him leave the island.
All for this day—to use the Sage's Spirit Blood to exact revenge on the board members.
The bald man embedded the red gemstone into a fitting position on the sculpture, and a dramatic transformation unfolded.
The two bodyguards behind him and Kou Amatsuka hastily retreated three meters.
The relief, which had been a dull copper color, suddenly turned into a crimson liquid that cascaded down, flooding the room with a sea of liquid metal.
The flowing liquid metal transformed into a massive crimson droplet, surging toward the owner of the Alchemy Core.
It enveloped his body.
"Haha, this feels incredible."
Despite being shrouded in the eerie Spirit Blood, he laughed heartily instead.
"Danger! Please step back!"
The two bodyguards, their faces pale with fear, shouted in alarm, but the bald man shot them an impatient glare.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I can feel it—my body is gradually merging with the Spirit Blood, becoming one!"
Abandoning the incomplete life of a human, he would obtain an indestructible metallic body.
The immense Magical Power flowing within granted him an overwhelming sense of bliss and omnipotence.
But Kou Amatsuka smiled, a relaxed and contented smile.
The erosion of the Sage's Spirit Blood was unexpectedly interrupted from within.
A portion of the liquid metal swelled, and within the droplet, a new human silhouette emerged.
It was the outline of a young woman, formed from crimson liquid metal.
Judging by her appearance, she seemed to be around eighteen or nineteen years old. As her features gradually sharpened, she revealed the face of a beautiful woman with an exotic allure.
"Ah, you've finally awakened, Master!"
Kou Amatsuka laughed joyfully, his expression one of impatience, as if he had been eagerly awaiting her appearance.
"Is she the Great Alchemist Nina Adelard?! Amatsuka, do something quickly!" the bald man cried out.
"With the awakening of the Sage's Spirit Blood, its rightful owner will also revive. What has awakened is her consciousness, preserved within the Alchemy Core. In this state, Nina Adelard will reclaim her body and be fully resurrected."
Coldly observing the panicked guards, Kou Amatsuka explained calmly and methodically.
The beautiful woman within the liquid metal had now almost completely regained her human form.
"Ahhh!!"
The bald man, eroded by the Spirit Blood, began to lose his original shape, dissolving and melting away.
With the awakening of the rightful owner, Nina Adelard, he would ultimately be expelled as a foreign entity.
"The Spirit Blood is devouring... my body! Amatsuka! Do something, Amatsuka!"
As he began to lose his body, he desperately pleaded with Kou Amatsuka for help.
However, Kou Amatsuka sneered and lightly waved the cane in his left hand.
"Don't worry. Everything will be over soon."
As Kou Amatsuka finished speaking, a scream echoed from within the Spirit Blood.
The body of the man eroded by the liquid metal was now fully exposed.
Black gemstones appeared all over his body—these were the Pseudo-Alchemy Cores created by Kou Amatsuka.
Under the pretext of needing them to control the Sage's Spirit Blood, Kou Amatsuka had convinced him to embed them within his body. But Kou Amatsuka's true goal was not to help him master the Sage's Spirit Blood—it was to use him as a catalyst to awaken it!
Under the influence of the runaway Pseudo-Alchemy Cores, his body was instantly torn apart.
The guards tried to save the managing director, but they too were swallowed and melted by the liquid metal.
The terrifying aura emanating from the scene sent the cats hidden within the monastery scattering in fear.
"I've been waiting for this moment, Master! When the Sage's Spirit Blood awakens, without your Alchemy Core, the Spirit Blood is nothing but scrap metal. But it cannot destroy what has merged with the Sage's Spirit Blood..."
Your body. Therefore, to seize your Spirit Blood, it must be destroyed from within while its awakening remains incomplete.
Before her master could fully activate the Spirit Blood, Kou Amatsuka immediately embedded the Pseudo-Alchemy Core into it, gaining control over it first.
The Pseudo-Alchemy Core within him, like ink spreading through clear water, turned the crimson liquid metal into a murky black hue. Although the Pseudo-Alchemy Core could control the Sage's Spirit Blood, it was functionally incomplete. It could lose control and run wild due to minor triggers.
Just as five years ago at the monastery, Kou offered the Pseudo-Alchemy Core to Nina, who was sealed with the Spirit Blood, hoping to free her.
They had created the Sage's Spirit Blood, and it was truly perfect—requiring neither oxygen nor food.
Yet it would not tolerate anything more perfect than itself, and would stop at nothing to destroy, turning the planet into a dead star.
Thus, the Alchemists devised a method: to extract its blood and use Nina's devotion to the Alchemy Core to eternally guard the Spirit Blood.
"I am truly grateful to you, so I will help fulfill your wish. Your body will live on forever as part of the Spirit Blood!"
Kou wore an innocent smile, murmuring to the dark metallic liquid before him.
The blackened Wiseman's Blood emitted ominous cries, writhing violently like a wounded beast.
Kou Amatsuka showed no fear, extending his hand and merging into the black metallic mass.
The Pseudo-Alchemy Core was his creation, allowing him to temporarily control the Spirit Blood through it. His ultimate goal was to fully revive the Sage's Spirit Blood.
"Promise me, if I can restore you, you will return my humanity."
He whispered to the skeletal staff as the black metal gradually enveloped his body...