This Lich Requests More Remuneration

Chapter 78 - 78 78 The Ritual is Ready

?Chapter 78: Chapter 78 The Ritual is Ready Chapter 78: Chapter 78 The Ritual is Ready The sewers of Alchemy City had thoroughly changed their appearance by this time.

The once intricately complex maze now seemed as though kneaded by an invisible pair of hands, becoming even more shattered and fragmented. Magic energy constructed walls that divided the sewer into different areas, as countless illusion realms led the sewer’s monsters to their predetermined locations.

They were sacrifices, the kindling for the Wishing Ritual, the monsters’ flesh and soul, along with their memories and emotions, all melted into the magic array, turning into thousands of black threads.

These threads traveled through the magic array like a specter’s long hair, seeking the only living being within the array, someone in the central area.

At the core of the ritual magic array, an old man with a naked body was entwined by these threads, suspended in midair.

The old man’s body was hunched, his pale long hair a mess, looking as gaunt as a mummy.

Even though his body was posed in a manner reflecting suffering, his face bore an expression of mania.

The black threads relentlessly drilled into his body, the blood and souls of the monsters taking form as energy, being infused into the old man.

However, his withered physique was like an abyss that could never be filled, no matter how much flesh and essence of souls he consumed, there was not the slightest sensation of bloating.

This bizarre sacrifice had been ongoing for an indeterminable length of time, with the old man madly sustaining the operation of the magic array.

Gustavo Flint stood among a group of alchemists, watching the old man with a complex expression.

This man was once the pride of Alchemy City, the closest mortal to the deity—the chairman of the Alchemist Council, Garey Woz.

He had once broken the curse of the God of Alchemy, and in the face of creative ban, he created new alchemy potions that revived Alchemy City. He formed the Alchemist Council, and his created and improved alchemy formulas could fill an entire lexicon.

He had reached the pinnacle of Legend years ago, and was just one step away from true divinity.

But that step was a chasm.

Without the deity’s approval, mortals found it difficult to cross this divide.

The God of Alchemy looked on indifferently at the wise men who practiced His ways, having not responded for countless years.

Alchemists obsessed over new creations, new breakthroughs, but in the chairman’s view, he had been stagnant for too long.

Hence, this mad plan came into being.

Gustavo Flint could no longer recall exactly which year it was when the chairman showed everyone an astounding blueprint.

A mad project, a plan that would allow mortals to become deities without the need for permission.

In the beginning, everyone was shocked by this crazy idea; they shut themselves away to discuss it for twenty whole years. During this time, many members of the council left, deeming the plan too mad.

Gustavo Flint was one of those who stayed, with all those in agreement betting their entire futures on the plan.

Once the plan started, Alchemy City was like a fruit being hollowed out from within.

Outwardly it may have seemed as lustrous as ever, but in reality, all profits were poured into this plan. Try after try, failure after failure, millions upon millions of Gold Coins were wasted.

Gustavo Flint could no longer remember how many times the sewers had been reconstructed over the years. Several times they were utterly demolished, only to be rebuilt brick by brick from the ground up, at the expense of untold amounts of human and material resources.

The once wealthiest nation among the Nine Great Kingdoms was now teetering on the brink of economic collapse due to the volatility in magical materials. It was all because they had gone all-in, with no thought for the future.

Random tax increases, arbitrary price hikes, and various other irrational actions were all meant to squeeze the last drop of blood from Alchemy City, using it to fulfill this grand plan.

And it wasn’t just money and time; to realize the plan, quite a few members of the Alchemist Council had voluntarily become sacrifices, throwing themselves into the magic array.

It was because of the self-sacrifice of these Legendary Alchemists that the last piece of the puzzle for the ritual magic was found. With just one more Legend thrown in, the Wishing Ritual should be completed.

To achieve this goal, Alchemy City had prepared several contingencies.

One was to pour a large amount of alchemy potions into the sewer, causing the monsters that had long been bred there to mutate and evolve, promoting the emergence of Legendary Rank monsters among them.

Two was to fabricate false prophecies, luring adventurers to venture into the sewer and become sacrificial offerings for the magic array, hoping also to attract Legendary powers to fill the last piece of the puzzle.

The third plan was, if a Legendary could not be found to fill the magic array, then the remaining members of the Alchemist Council would sacrifice themselves.

Amberser being targeted was just his ill luck.

As for the help of the Laine Empire, Amberser misunderstood; Alchemy City wasn’t looking for assistance, but for the arrival of a Legendary strong enough.

Amberser was the first sacrificial target. If things went wrong with him, they would just shove that Supreme Judge Sir into the hole. As for whether this would trigger a war, these alchemists did not care. For if they succeeded, they would achieve the feat of mortals becoming gods. If they failed, there was no need to wait for the Laine Empire to strike; Alchemy City would destroy itself.

But now, both targets had slipped through their fingers.

Amberser had exploded and fled, while James Watson, unable to find the true Life Casket, was still digging holes in the outskirts in the Lich’s Domain. It was said they had been prepared to enter the city, but while passing by a small village, they found a new Life Casket in the headman’s house.

James Watson had gone mad, insisting on checking every inch of land within dozens of kilometers.

“This damned Lich!”

Gustavo Flint had been a staunch supporter, but the closer it got to the final moments, the more he regretted it.

Had they been too paranoid? If the plan failed, the investment of these past years would have been for naught, and the future of Alchemy City would be completely doomed. Moreover, he had no wish to turn into a sacrifice for the magic array.

Unlike the other alchemists, Gustavo Flint seemed to care more about power and status. His ideals were lofty, indeed, but not lofty enough to sacrifice himself.

With this in mind, Gustavo Flint turned his head to look behind him, where in the corner stood a young alchemist. He was handsome, always wearing a smile on his face, as if he was looking forward to everything that was about to happen.

He was also a member of the Alchemist Council, but the youngest of all and the last to join. Gustavo Flint didn’t even know his real name; he only knew that he called himself Gold Coin.

This was clearly a pseudonym, but Gold Coin’s alchemy had indeed reached the Legendary standard and, moreover, he had volunteered to be the last sacrifice. Now that the Lich had fled and James Watson was too late, there wasn’t much time left before Gold Coin’s suicidal offering.

But why did he look so pleased?

Even the companions who had been sacrificed before had to repeatedly fortify their resolve before walking into the magic array, carrying either a heavy or an excited heart.

Yet Gold Coin was far too relaxed, Gustavo Flint couldn’t see even a trace of unease or impatience on his face.

“This kid, what if he takes off when it’s crucial, turning me into the sacrifice instead?”

With this thought in mind, Gustavo Flint took the initiative to approach Gold Coin and said, “The plan has failed, I am responsible, and I am truly sorry.”

Upon hearing this, the young alchemist seemed unconcerned and said, “It doesn’t matter, we had a backup plan, didn’t we? Don’t worry, I’ll fill the last slot. But about the final part, are we really prepared? If we can’t completely sever the chairman’s humanity, he will not become a real Deity.”

“According to the calculations, there should be no problem. The chairman has only one living relative left; by destroying this blood connection, his soul will be completely purified, free of human interference, and he will be able to evolve into a god under the influence of the ritual.”

Gustavo Flint sounded as if he was reassuring himself as well as steadying Gold Coin, his tone full of conviction.

Gold Coin looked at Gustavo Flint and countered, “Can humanity and divinity really be switched so easily? It sounds like a hack writer who can’t come up with a new plot twist, and just fabricates one. All this talk of becoming powerful once free of attachments or breaking through upon a lover’s death—it’s all in the stories, and we seem to find it logical.

“But humanity, divinity, and the soul—surely they’re not that superficial, are they?”

Gustavo Flint listened and felt something was off. Could this kid actually be getting cold feet and looking for an excuse to back out?

“It won’t be. Our calculations can’t be wrong. Believe in the chairman; he is the closest to a Deity.” Gustavo Flint took out a potion and said to Gold Coin, “Why not take a rest now, and we’ll wake you when it’s time.”

Gold Coin looked at the shimmering transparent liquid and recognized it as a potent sleeping potion.

Gustavo Flint didn’t trust himself, fearing that he might run away, so he wanted him to sleep right up until the moment of sacrifice.

The young alchemist smiled slightly and said to Gustavo Flint, “If this will put your doubts to rest, I don’t mind.”

Having said that, Gold Coin downed the entire potion and immediately yawned.

Just before falling asleep, Gold Coin said his last words to Gustavo Flint, “Compared to my doubts, Master Flint, it seems you are even less confident in the plan. Instead of worrying about whether I will shrink back, you might want to think about how you’ll deal with things after the ritual is over.”

“What did you say?” Gustavo Flint felt that something was wrong and wanted to ask more, but Gold Coin had fallen into a deep sleep due to the potion.

Gustavo Flint hurriedly propped him up, and after confirming that he was truly asleep, he had Gold Coin taken to the place of sacrifice and laid him preemptively within the magic array.

By doing this, even if Gold Coin wanted to flee, he would be blocked by the magic array, and they would detect it immediately.

Despite being fully prepared, Gustavo Flint’s unease grew stronger and stronger.

Could there really be an accident?

Gustavo Flint planned to talk to those druids to make sure about the girl’s presence.

Meanwhile, the newly resurrected Amberser was walking the streets of Alchemy City with the Withered Rose.

Many of the city’s residents had already sensed something amiss, with Alchemy City under full martial law, even its defensive systems fully activated. Numerous magipuppet automatons patrolled under the control of the governing officer, ready to eliminate any instability.

Amberser was witnessing the might of the Withered Rose for the first time.

The Undead Queen needed only a glance, and the governing officers of Alchemy City would be transformed into the Undead in a matter of seconds, quietly and without pain. Their magic defense gear did not react at all.

They didn’t even realize they were dead until it was too late, and by then they had become puppets of the Withered Rose, then these governing officers would obediently control the magipuppet automatons to clear a path.

Such was the terrifying Legendary Grace of the Undead Queen from Gloomyland.

With the Withered Rose’s power aiding him, Amberser proceeded unhindered.

Before long, Amberser reached his goal—the location of the group of druids.