Revival of the Age of Gods: I, Janice

Ancient alchemists regarded it as the primordial "One." There is a famous saying: "The One is the All, and the All is the One." The "One" in this phrase refers to it. They believed that the entire world evolved from this substance and would eventually return to its original state... repeating this cycle endlessly. But in reality, it wasn't quite so dramatic. The First Primordial Substance was merely the product of the Five Great Elements—Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Void—fusing and then sublimating. This process of sublimation was also a core tenet of alchemy that could not be discarded. Janis happened to be stuck at this very step. For him, refining and mixing the Five Great Elements was simple, but "sublimation" was difficult. It had taken him over a month to finally master it. "I've finally cracked another difficult problem. Now I can use this research to complete that spell." Janis placed the flask back on the rack and picked up a towel to wipe the fine beads of sweat from his forehead. Though his energy was considerably drained, his emerald-green eyes shone even brighter, as if he had seen the first light of dawn. It had to be said that habit was indeed a terrifying thing. Just three years ago, he had been an ordinary person with no connection to the Magic Path—someone who didn't even belong to this world. When he first transmigrated, he thought he'd arrived in Europe twenty or thirty years ago. It wasn't until others pointed it out and his original body's memories returned that he realized the true nature of his surroundings. The world of magi was far more realistic and cruel than ordinary society, a place where sympathy and mercy were nonexistent. If he were an ordinary person, it would have been one thing. But unfortunately, he had usurped the body of the heir to the Archibald family, a noble lineage of the Magic Path and a renowned genius magus of the Clock Tower. To hide the secret of being an impostor, he not only had to maintain a facade in public but also had to "cram" his studies desperately behind the scenes. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three years had passed. Janis wasn't entirely sure how the outside world viewed him. According to his butler, some people called him a research maniac, but that was a trivial matter. He had to admit that initially, he'd delved into the Magic Path solely to protect his reputation as a genius and conceal his secret. But now, he had grown accustomed to this way of life. In the process of pondering how to enhance his own strength, he often encountered numerous challenges. Each time he overcame one, he felt a profound sense of satisfaction and achievement. Just like now. With the First Primordial Substance as his raw material, he was one step closer to completing a new Spell. Once finished, his combat capabilities as a magus would be greatly enhanced... Suddenly, a knock sounded at the workshop door. "Come in." The door opened, and an old man in jet-black formal attire entered. His temples were silvered, his face etched with wrinkles, but his back was as straight as a pine tree. He was Janis's personal butler. "Young Master Janis, there's an update on the information you asked me to investigate half a month ago." "Oh?" Janis's eyes lit up, and his drowsiness vanished instantly. "You found them?" "Yes. After extensive investigation and sending scouts deep into the area, we can confirm it with near certainty." "Where?" "The Białowieża Forest, on the border between Poland and Belarus. However, there's also some bad news. I'm not sure if it's true, but I believe you need to know." "Don't tell me the person I'm looking for has disappeared." Janis narrowed his eyes, his previous lethargy replaced by a crushing pressure that felt like gravity itself was intensifying. The room's temperature plummeted, and the space began to warp like a shimmering heat haze. This was no illusion. When magical power is amplified and condensed to a certain level, it can cause such inconceivable phenomena. The butler shook his head, his expression grave. "The person is still here, but investigators have found traces of a Crown-Rank Magus near the forest." Crown Rank. Theoretically, the highest rank a magus could achieve. Most of the "Lords" who controlled the Clock Tower's Twelve Departments were stalled at the Color Rank, just below Crown. Excluding the current Lords, the number of Crown-Rank Magi in the entire Clock Tower was pitifully small—and those operating outside its jurisdiction were even rarer. Such beings, standing at the pinnacle of the magus world, were incredibly troublesome, even if they weren't skilled in combat. If possible, Janis would have preferred not to cross paths with one. But now, it seemed, that was unavoidable. Magi were stubborn people with singular goals; they never did anything pointless. This was especially true of Crown-Rank Magi—a group of "madmen" or rather "monsters" who had reached an irredeemable level of extremity in their respective fields. If a Crown-Rank Magus had appeared in the Białowieża Forest, they were undoubtedly hunting something. Given their level of discernment, Janis could think of only one thing they would be interested in—and that happened to be his own target. "Crown Rank, huh... Interesting. Do we know who it is?" "The eldest daughter of the Aozaki Family, Touko Aozaki." "Just as I thought." Janis wasn't surprised in the least. As an "outsider" not belonging to this world, Janis could foresee future events to some extent. Of course, this wasn't due to any innate talent; he simply happened to possess certain information. One such piece of information stated: Two years before the birth of the new Fifth Magus, Touko Aozaki would travel to a primeval forest in Central Europe in search of a familiar. Instead, she would find a Golden Beast comparable to a Dragon Kind and give it the absurd name "Beo." Janis had only just recalled this fact half a month ago and immediately ordered an investigation. He had transmigrated here in 1984. Now, it was already '87. Based on the timeline he knew, he wouldn't be surprised at all if Touko Aozaki had beaten him to it and snatched the Golden Beast first. "Touko Aozaki..." Janis murmured the name of the woman only a few years his senior, lost in thought. The Aozaki Family had once produced a Magician, marking them as a prestigious lineage. Though the previous generation had been unremarkable, the current one was exceptionally talented, with Touko Aozaki serving as the ultimate proof. Not only was she naturally gifted in the Magic Path, but at a young age, she had revived a nearly extinct magical foundation, bringing the renowned Rune Magic back into the light. In the future, the Association would even bestow upon her the title of "Red." Furthermore, her doll-making skills were so extraordinary that even the Association coveted them, eventually placing her on the Seal Designation list. If captured, the forced theft of her techniques would be the least of her worries; the true horror was the prospect of lifelong imprisonment, only to be preserved in formalin as a priceless specimen for future generations after her death. "Though your future looks grim, let's each rely on our own abilities to determine who gets the Golden Beast." The Golden Wolf, a creature of three thousand years of Mystery. Modern magecraft, developed for only two thousand years, was like a soap bubble that would burst at the slightest touch against it. With the Golden Wolf, victory in a magical battle was practically guaranteed. For Janis to let it go was simply out of the question.