Chapter 396: Revival of the Sages, Gathering Together
Clap, clap, clap—
"What a splendid show you've put on, Kou Amatsuka."
The sky was a clear azure, with moonlight quietly spilling down.
Accompanied by the sound of footsteps, a group of people appeared before the dilapidated gate of the abbey.
At the forefront was a handsome young man, a faint smile still lingering on his face.
"Exploitation, betrayal... these really suit you as your foundation," Mahiro remarked casually.
However, Kou Amatsuka merely glanced at Mahiro before shifting his gaze to the others.
Here, he saw his enemy—that damned beastman who had nearly beaten him to death!
For some reason, though, that female beastman, despite baring her fangs in fury, never made a move, as if restrained by someone.
But soon, Amatsuka's attention was drawn to a petite girl with silver hair and blue eyes.
The cats that had been hiding inside the abbey cautiously gathered around the girl's feet, as if seeking comfort.
Amatsuka recognized her at a glance.
"Haha... so it's you. The top-tier spirit medium with the strongest spiritual power in the abbey five years ago... Tell me, was it because her spiritual power was too high that you thought she could stop you? That she was an eyesore?"
"So you had me attack her, targeting her, wanting to devour her to make yourself more perfect!"
Amatsuka laughed as he spoke to the skeletal staff.
The Sage was the most perfect creation crafted by the Alchemist; it could not allow any species to be more perfect than itself!
The hollow eyes of the skeletal staff glowed with an eerie light as it communicated with Amatsuka in its own unique way.
"M-Mahiro-nii, he... he's the monster who tried to kill everyone five years ago."
Kanon's voice trembled as she instinctively tightened her grip on Mahiro's sleeve.
It was as if she was recalling the tragic events that had unfolded at Adelard's Abbey five years ago.
Remembering how she had watched helplessly as her friends were devoured by that strange metallic liquid.
If Mahiro hadn't appeared back then, she and the other children would likely have been completely consumed by that monster.
The thought filled Kanon with even greater fear and dread.
Until a warm, large hand gently rested on her head.
Looking up, she met Mahiro's gentle gaze.
"Don't worry. As long as I'm here, no one will harm you."
"Yes! I believe you, Mahiro-nii!"
Though she was still afraid, Mahiro's presence gave her a newfound courage.
Apart from her silver hair and deep blue eyes, which differed from those of Japanese people, Kanon Kanase carried an aura of sacred nobility that set her apart from an ordinary student.
Usually reserved and well-behaved, she appeared timid and fragile.
But she had a secret: as an inheritor of the Aldegyr royal bloodline, she was a naturally powerful spirit medium.
In terms of latent potential, Kanon Kanase's spiritual power was of the highest level within the Demon Sanctuary—so high that she could undergo a perfect ascension as an angel.
And her kindness made her even more unwilling to involve others in Amatsuka's murderous schemes.
"Sigh, what a pity. You really are a persistent nuisance... It was you who ruined our plans five years ago... So let us settle this now—"
"Let us continue that tragedy today! I will help you with the resurrection, but you must keep your promise to me."
As Kou Amatsuka spoke, he raised his staff high.
The black metallic torrent seemed to answer his call, instantly merging entirely into his body.
"Let the hunt begin! Everyone is here, perfect—new grudges and old scores can be settled together!"
Kou Amatsuka had transformed into a towering black giant.
He swung his arm violently, unleashing a three-meter-wide torrent of black metal that roared toward the monastery gate.
Everything in its path was shredded and flattened by the sharp metal.
Yet, faced with such a powerful metallic onslaught, Mahiro didn't even bother to lift an eyelid.
"Isn't this opening cutscene a bit too long?"
He was starting to feel a little sleepy.
At the same time, the moment his words fell, a cascade of golden hair fluttered before him.
Alpha swiftly drew the silver Holy Sword from her waist and slashed forward.
A torrent of Magical Power, even more immense and erupting like a beam of light, collided with the metal stream, scattering it in mere moments.
During this brief confrontation, Mahiro noticed something peculiar.
It felt as though this Spirit Blood was much weaker than when it had gone berserk before—at least half its power was gone, almost as if... it had been diluted?
Indeed, that was the case.
Originally, half of Kou Amatsuka's body was constructed from Spirit Blood, but the damage he had suffered earlier was too severe.
Although the lost mass could be replenished by merging with other metals, repeating this process would dilute the purity of the Spirit Blood.
His power would rapidly decline.
That was why he was so desperate to break the seal on the monastery's Spirit Blood and replenish himself.
But in doing so, he had also degraded the quality of the monastery's Spirit Blood.
"Elf, your power is quite interesting..."
Kou Amatsuka frowned, muttering softly with a hint of surprise.
But when his gaze fell upon Kanon Kanase behind them, his expression was once again overtaken by greed and desire.
"But it doesn't matter. As long as I devour you, my power will be restored, and the Spirit Blood will fully revive!"
"Though the sky is still dark, it's best to keep your dreams in your sleep."
Mahiro sighed helplessly.
"Boss, let Delta handle it this time!" Delta suddenly spoke up, already poised for action.
Not just Delta, but the others also stepped forward, expressing their desire to take down Kou Amatsuka.
But Mahiro shook his head and refused:
"Better not. I'll handle it myself."
Although the concentration of the Spirit Blood had significantly decreased, and their strength was decent, aside from Alpha, the others stood little chance against this guy.
After all, this thing was still quite troublesome.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it! Can't you show me some respect?!"
Watching the group on the other side eagerly competing for the chance to kill him, Kou Amatsuka was so furious that veins bulged on his forehead.
He swung his arm violently once more.
But this time, the Spirit Blood underwent a change.
The giant's arm transformed into a silver blade, slicing through the air in an instant!
If that blade struck anyone, it would likely claim their life in a split second.
Unfortunately, he had chosen the wrong opponent.
"Respect? What makes you think you're worthy of my respect? You're nothing but a false puppet."
The moment the blade arrived, Mahiro stepped forward and summoned Est, casually blocking the attack. The Demon King Killing Sacred Sword effortlessly deflected the giant's strike.
In the process, it also severed the giant's arm!
The massive arm instantly fell to the ground, reverting to its original form of Spirit Blood metal.
Most crucially, Kou Amatsuka discovered that the severed part could no longer be reabsorbed into the body!
The skeletal cane integrated into the giant's body emitted a cracking sound.
"What... what have you done?!"
"Enough with the nonsense. Prepare to die!"
Mahiro had no intention of engaging in conversation. He charged forward, arriving before the giant, and with a flourish of the Demon King Killing Sacred Sword in his hand, he unleashed a series of swift and fierce slashes, continuously cutting into the giant's body.
Each strike perfectly sliced off a piece of Spirit Blood.
It was as if he intended to carve this giant into a work of art.
As for why it was uncontrollable...
The reason was simple: the Demon King Killing Sacred Sword possessed the inherent ability to dispel curses, or rather, to devour them.
Spirit Blood itself was not a unified whole; it relied on power to maintain its connection with the alchemical core. Thus, by severing that link, the Spirit Blood would naturally turn into useless scrap metal.
Kou Amatsuka was merely an alchemist, after all.
What did he know about combat? All he could do was recklessly wield the power of Spirit Blood.
But now, faced with an existence whose power surpassed that of Spirit Blood, he was naturally defeated.
Reverting from his giant form back to human appearance, he lay panting heavily on the ground.
Mahiro placed a foot on his chest and asked with a light laugh:
"So, do you still want to continue?"
"Don't think you've won just like this!"
Kou Amatsuka gritted his teeth, his hatred palpable.
He attempted one last desperate struggle, but the next moment, Kanon Kanase's voice rang out.
"St... stop it. You... you're actually really pitiful, aren't you? Haven't you remembered anything at all?"
Kanon's gaze held pity and sorrow for Kou Amatsuka. Though still cautious, her words carried a firm resolve.
Her abrupt question caused Kou Amatsuka's expression to falter slightly.
"What are you trying to say?!"
For some reason, an inexplicable rage surged within Kou Amatsuka.
Was it resentment, or a feeling of being mocked?
He didn't know.
All he wanted now was to use Spirit Blood to devour this delectable medium!
"I remember you... from when everyone at the monastery was killed."
Kanon stepped forward, looking directly at Kou Amatsuka. Her expression showed no trace of timidity now, only deep sorrow.
"Truly a pitiful monster, still unaware that you've been deceived," Mahiro remarked, glancing at him indifferently.
"What are you talking about?"
Kou asked anxiously, his voice tinged with an inexplicable tremor.
He seemed fearful of what they were about to say next.
"Let me ask you, Mr. Amatsuka, what do you gain from resurrecting the Sage?"
Kanon quietly brushed aside the silver strands of hair from her lovely face, her gaze seeming to weigh heavily upon Kou.
"It's obvious, isn't it? Of course, I want to become human again. Make that guy revive the other half of me that he devoured! Otherwise, why would I ever listen to his orders!"
Amatsuka Kou spoke with resentment.
The moment Mahiro lifted his foot, Kou tore open the front of his coat, revealing the disgusting right half of his body eroded by the metallic lifeform...
"Then please tell me, who were you before devouring that body? If you truly were once human, please tell me your memories from that time. When and where were you born?"
As Kanon Kanase finished her question, a brief silence fell.
Kou would not answer anything—because he could not answer. He had no memories at all.
"Shut up, Kanase Kanon!"
Kou desperately refuted the facts. How could he, who so urgently desired to become human again, possibly accept such a reality...
"It's already been made quite clear, hasn't it? You are not human—merely a tool created by the Sage to revive himself."
Mahiro directly and unreservedly spoke the truth.
What Kou Amatsuka? He was just a pitiful creature without even a soul, whose very consciousness was manipulated.
After all, the alchemy in this world was quite formidable—even Mahiro had to admit that.
Compared to the most common transmutation of base metals into gold, or material transformation, the alchemy of this world had already delved into the realm of life.
Just like the Sage who had once been created.
And similarly born from the field of alchemical life, capable of bearing the Beast—Astarte.
So, for the Sage, hailed as the pinnacle of alchemy, creating an artificial lifeform was too simple, almost effortless.
"You should have vaguely sensed it, right? You are an artificial lifeform created by the Sage from the remnants of Spirit Blood. Just brainwashed into a useless tool obsessed with becoming fully human again. Even your most basic consciousness is false—you don't even have a soul..."
As he spoke, Mahiro's eyes glowed with a red light, probing into Kou Amatsuka's "gate."
But unfortunately, inside the gate, there was nothing—only emptiness.
"Shut up! Do you think you can deceive me?" Kou Amatsuka sharply interrupted, glaring at Mahiro with murderous intent.
"Whether one is human is not determined by the body, but by the presence of a soul. You have no reason to obey the Sage," Kanon sighed.
"Reason... my reason for obeying the Sage!"
Upon hearing this, Kou Amatsuka unconsciously loosened his grip on the skull staff he had been clutching tightly.
It rolled aside on the floor, emitting a dull metallic sound.
Mahiro's target was the true Sage, not this puppet-like underling, but that didn't stop him from twisting the knife a bit.
So, looking at the skull staff, he chuckled lightly:
"Seems I've said a bit too much. Shouldn't you show yourself now, Mr. Sage hiding behind the scenes?"
The skull immediately began vibrating, accompanied by an eerie laugh.
Paired with the gloomy night around them, it sent chills down one's spine.
"..."
The golden skeleton trembled, beginning to emit strange sounds resembling laughter as an ominous aura gradually spread throughout the monastery.
The cats gathered at the entrance, sensing this aura, immediately bristled and fled toward the forest, quickly escaping the area.
"Cackle... You incomplete existences, you discovered it too late."
The skeleton, possessing its own will, spoke with clear arrogance, its unpleasant voice echoing through the space.
It was evident that this creature considered itself the most perfect species.
"The Sage!?" Kanon exclaimed in fear as she looked at the staff.
"Heh, as expected, those incompetents from the commune five years ago failed to seal you completely. I shouldn't have handed you over to them for cleanup—I should have kept you firmly in my grasp back then."
Mahiro glanced coldly at the skeleton as he spoke.
Six of the Seven Shadows looked at the skeletal staff with confusion, never expecting a mere staff to come to life.
But when Eta looked at the staff, her eyes were filled with excitement.
It was the excitement of wanting to dissect this staff on an experimental table!
She couldn't help but speak up.
"Mahiro-nii, can you give this staff to me?"
"No," Mahiro refused decisively.
Eta simply let out a soft "oh," looking like an abandoned kitten—dejected and pitiful.
Even the ahoge on her head drooped down.
Her expression gave Mahiro quite a headache, and he sighed helplessly.
"Eta, can't you see how dangerous this thing is? Aren't you afraid of being controlled by it?"
"I'm not afraid."
Eta's reply was resolute, making Mahiro's headache even worse.
This girl really is...
"Could you show me some respect! I am, after all, the most perfect being, the most perfect existence—the Sage!!"
Having been ignored once again, the Sage's consciousness hidden within the staff flew into a rage.
It immediately roared:
"World, become part of my body."
Most of the scattered Spirit Blood nearby seemed to be drawn in, as countless red metal blocks emerged from the soil, swallowing the stunned Kou Amatsuka and the skeletal staff into the liquid.
Its color was no longer the pitch black from before but a blood-like crimson!
That was the original color of the Wiseman's Blood!
Although it still lacked the Spiritual Power of a medium to return to its peak, perfect state, the restored power was more than enough to satisfy the Sage.
After fully merging with the Spirit Blood, it finally regained a complete human form.
But unlike its previous bloated appearance, it was now lean and muscular!
Every line of its body seemed to be the most perfectly sculpted and divided masterpiece, almost comparable to Mahiro's physique.
However, the Sage's frame was taller and more robust.
"Heh, I never expected the Sage's true form would dare to come and provoke us."
A silver-bell-like laugh echoed from the void of space.
Natsuki Minamiya had suddenly appeared.
This time, Natsuki Minamiya was no longer appearing as a clone but in her true form.
Her attire had also changed from the usual black gothic long dress to white, wearing white stockings and white knee-high boots on her feet.
Even the parasol in her hand had been replaced with a white style.
It must be said that Natsuki-chan in white stockings appeared less seductive and more pure compared to her black form.
Yet, it made her even more alluring.
"Hmph."
Natsuki-chan seemed to notice his gaze and immediately shot him a light glare, as if warning him not to keep staring at her.
"We're still a step too late, it seems we couldn't prevent the Sage's revival."
"Hehe, what does it matter? I love this kind of side entertainment the most. Don't you agree, Great Alchemist Nina Adelard?"
"Watch your words. This is not your entertainment."
"Yes, yes. Who would have thought the great Witch Tokoyogi Aya is such a petty person?"
Three different voices sounded again.
But this time, they came from inside the monastery.
Giada, dressed in a pure white dress, slowly walked out while holding a cute figurine in her arms.
The figurine clearly depicted a blonde foreigner, resembling an exquisite and beautiful doll.
Beside Giada stood Aya, wearing a black kimono.
Mahiro
"Why have all of you come here?"
Mahiro held his forehead in pain, deciding to ignore the figurine for now.
With just a glance earlier, he knew that the figurine's body was made of Wiseman's Blood, and since it was called Nina Adelard, it must be the one from two hundred years ago.
"We have come to help you resolve the Spirit Blood crisis," Aya said softly.
Although Natsuki Minamiya turned her head away without speaking, her intention was clear.
As for Giada, she claimed she was just here to watch the excitement, believing Mahiro could handle it himself.
But...
Help resolve it?
It would be a blessing if you didn't cause more trouble!