Wizard Alchemist

Chapter 855 The Four Great Familiars (4 in 1)

Below the floating city.

Inside a monotonous, giant metal cube, Preso was busy in his private laboratory.

This place is located at the very bottom of the city, at the level of a refugee camp as defined by law.

Preso is not a native citizen of Sakor, but rather a citizen of a low-level civilization from outer space that was once conquered by Sakor.

The Saqqas were not particularly friendly to these outsiders, but they also had a great surplus due to their advanced productivity.

The benefits he casually overlooked, including the various conditions of clothing, food, housing, and transportation, were actually far superior to those of the third-level civilization he originally lived in.

This allowed him to live the life of a nobleman that he could never have dreamed of before.

However, these benefits are not enough to sustain the high consumption of the upper class. When they are extremely bored, they will inevitably find something to do.

Driven by both interest and a desire to distinguish himself, Preso continuously researched his folk sciences and conducted various explorations.

He had little opportunity to receive formal education and could only obtain materials from the secondhand market, greedily absorbing all kinds of knowledge.

These were not originally open to them, but they could be freely circulated among ordinary citizens. There were also some educational flashcards for children that were very suitable for mastering basic knowledge.

Therefore, I have also learned quite a bit here and there.

He is now working on the fabrication of a miniature nuclear battery that has long been obsolete.

Between Level 2 and Level 3 civilizations, and even some civilizations that have just advanced to Level 4, such outdated energy storage devices still possess considerable value.

What he usually does is buy up the scraps that the garbage collectors on the ground find in the garbage dumps and make the most of them.

Despite his disheveled appearance, in the eyes of the displaced people and undocumented immigrants on the ground, he was still a high-ranking official in the city above.

They even possess certain knowledge and skills, making them true "high-ranking figures"!
However, at this moment, even such an "upper-level figure" has encountered some troubles.

"How exactly can we fix it?"

On the old metal tabletop, various tools and parts of unknown purpose were scattered haphazardly.

Preso stared at an inconspicuous metal cylinder with a worried look on his face.

That was the treasure he had traded from the junk collector a few days ago for ten pre-made meals and a small box of nutritional paste—a "Leishi Type IV" miniature nuclear battery, supposedly pried out of the wreckage of a toy.

Don't underestimate this battery just because it's a child's toy. If it can be thoroughly repaired and resold to ship owners who run short-distance interstellar freight in lower-level civilizations, it could fetch tens of thousands of star dollars.

But at this moment, this small "thunderstone" felt like a stubborn rock, blocking his heart.

Because he realized he had misjudged the situation.

"The problem with this thing lies in the core of energy conversion: the thermopile array!"

This old-fashioned nuclear battery does not generate electricity directly. Instead, it uses the heat generated by the decay of radioactive isotopes to directly convert the thermal difference into electrical energy through a semiconductor element called a thermoelectric pile.

This is theoretically extremely reliable, but the battery in front of us uses a high-lattice material encapsulation technology that meets the safety standards for children's toys.

This also means that in the event of accidental damage, the battery will quickly "crystallize".

This will safely destroy it, avoiding explosions or leakage of internal materials that could harm the surrounding environment.

But these stringent safety standards have now become an obstacle for him.

“The ‘crystal grid’ has penetrated deep into the battery, and more than 95% of it is no longer usable. I’ve bought a real piece of junk!”
Although the cost wasn't too high, it meant all the previous work had been wasted.

Preso looked somewhat depressed and sighed helplessly.

"If only there were a way to solve this!"

Unlike what people usually think of as a believer, he had a strong desire at this moment, but he did not call on the god of alchemy or any other deity for help.

Because he didn't even know the god of alchemy, nor did he know that such a power existed in the universe.

He simply had a strong desire.

Any kind of demon, alien, or abyss monster is fine.

Please help Preso!

He might not even have such a thought; it was just his subconscious mental orientation that gave him this desire.

“Using the ‘yellowing technique,’ matter can be reorganized and reversed crystallization can be achieved…”

Suddenly, a voice rang out in his mind, like a flash of inspiration that illuminated his thoughts.

"Who? Who's talking?"

Preso was startled.

But after a moment, he felt that he was just overworked and was hallucinating.

Because there was no one else in the room besides himself, and the surveillance equipment did not give any indication.

Yes, we should trust science!
However, at that moment, the word "yellowing" appeared in my mind again like a curse.

"Yellowing, what is that?"

Preso was astonished.

"Yellowing ( ) refers to the intermediate stage in the 'great work' of alchemy, where a substance begins to show a golden or yellow glow after initial decomposition and purification (turning black).

It symbolizes dawn, the first light of day, a harbinger of matter acquiring 'spirit' or 'soul,' foreshadowing ultimate success (turning red).

The AI ​​assistant quickly looked up the information and provided the answer.

But then he added a reminder.

"However, within the framework of modern physics and chemistry, it is viewed as a reorganization of matter at the atomic or even quantum level."

Please do not become overly obsessed, as this violates the truths of natural science…

"Okay, so it was witchcraft."

However, the next moment, Preso inexplicably had all sorts of thoughts about "Yellowing Technique" pop into his mind.

As if possessed, he used a divine spell on the object before him.

"!"

As this white light was injected, golden light shone brightly.

The surrounding instruments began to flash numbers, and various prompts lit up.

5%...10%...15%...

35%!

Ultimately, a portion of the already crystalline battery was reversed!

“Ah… this…

This is simply a miracle!

Preso's understanding was overturned, and he felt a mixture of horror, surprise, and unexpected ecstasy.

Almost at the same time.

In the distant void, within the natal chart representing the true divine body.

A tiny star suddenly appeared against the dark and desolate backdrop of the universe.

He became a follower of "Roy, the god of alchemy"!

Power: +1.5...

Soon, information surfaced in Roy's mind.

He felt a blessing, like the words of a sage, emanating from this tiny star that represented believers.

However, it does not affect the six major attributes, but rather the powers possessed by the divine!
******
"It went so smoothly?"
It seems that this person was not deeply influenced by scientific knowledge, but instead became self-taught and established a primitive foundation of alchemical magic.

If I were born in the wizarding world, I might be a genius who could easily awaken the "Wizard's Maxim" and become a full-fledged wizard!

Guided by the light of his soul, Roy discovered this point of light in the vast universe.

This is not only because he is currently on Mior Star and has the convenience of being nearby, but also because the two have resonated with each other spiritually.

Preso subconsciously believed that some great being helped him activate his inspiration.

Just now, in particular, the divine technique called "Yellow Transformation" was bestowed upon him, creating a phenomenon that resembled a miracle.

This effectively promoted him to the rank of "priest"!
In addition, there is his compatibility with the alchemy system itself.

The various specific operations of alchemy cannot be separated from symbols, because they are the bridge connecting the material and spiritual worlds.

Through specific rituals and incantations, alchemists can materialize symbolic meanings and create all things.

Preso's original upbringing and development environment may have led him to "guess" many technical details and rely more on symbolic objects, which inadvertently aligned with witchcraft concepts.

"So this is what 'faith' is..."

This is something similar to "wizard's maxims," ​​which in theological terms is called "the heart of faith."

However, unlike wizards, it is born from the zero level stage. When using any divine spell, it will show different levels based on its own spiritual energy and the firmness of its faith.

Ultimately, however, it is merely a signal receiver; its true power still depends on "divine favor"!

Roy quickly grasped the knowledge and gradually understood the key to developing it in the direction of divine magic.

He will establish an alchemical cult.

Its own "wizard maxims" can serve as its doctrine.

His own "Book of Alchemy" can be considered its classic.

Its many alchemical talents can even be used as its divine arts.

This sect will help its own divine body ignite the divine fire and exalt the divine throne.

Become a true god of alchemy!

……

After that, Roy secretly kept an eye on Psos and discovered that he had sold the repaired miniature nuclear battery for a good price.

But he remained silent, revealing neither the god of alchemy nor the miracles he had encountered.

As a mature middle-aged man, he knows how to protect his privacy and won't loudly tell others about his extraordinary adventures.

Goods are still being sold, and profits are still being made.

But how do we get it?

If you don't tell others, it will be difficult for them to find out.

As a result, apart from his own increased piety and unwavering faith, he did not contribute in any way to the development of the Alchemist Cult.

"This is simply outrageous! We need to spread the word!"

For certain reasons, Roy did not intend to spread the sect among his disciples and followers, the Roy Alchemy community.

Even the route taken by the true god is a secret that is difficult for outsiders to know.

Therefore, he genuinely wanted to try the path to godhood in this technological world, as one of his many escape routes.

Unfortunately, Preso was really incompetent, his mind was only on making a fortune in silence.

Roy had no choice but to continue looking for other candidates.

In the apartment, Roy summoned the Alchemy Book, which was as thick as a city wall.

After a moment's thought, four pages were pulled out and copied to create the four alchemical techniques: [Blackening], [Whitening], [Yellowing], and [Redening].

"These are things that are originally the core tenets of alchemy, including the process from decomposing matter to reconstructing it, and then to infusing it with spirit and spiritual sublimation."

If someone were to master these four alchemical techniques, it would be enough to piece together a complete original system, and naturally, many other things could be deduced.

Ultimate artifacts, including the Philosopher's Stone, are also included in its scope.

Based on this, we should be able to build the framework for the technology that can be disseminated here.

Then, it incorporates some local elements.

For example, folk science, all sorts of advanced technologies..."

A moment later, Roy used his divine power to distribute the four scriptures to several believers who were most strongly influenced by them.

"If one isn't enough, then let's have four!"
When there are many people of the same type, competition naturally arises.

When the time comes, we'll see who has the higher performance indicators, and then consider merging the four into one to form a complete system.

Only then would one be qualified to be my messenger, the first prophet, and even the Pope!

Preso alone was out of the question, and Roy really couldn't keep him on his toes every day, so he decided to cast a wide net and catch as many fish as possible.

……

Another day, Roy lay on the sofa browsing news and researching information.

Although we dare not search for many things directly to avoid being monitored by artificial intelligence and big data, there are various policies and rules governing the world.

Navax should have been interested in these things, because he wanted to fit in.

Beside him, the adorable pet "Chibi" curled its long ears into a heart shape called "Love Radar" and sat there with wide eyes, watching his every move.

When Roy waved, it immediately jumped up happily, its furry body snuggling against him, making a soft, purring sound.

Roy casually pinched a few of the adorable pets, a knowing smile appearing on his lips.

At this moment, several beautiful older women and mature ladies sent messages one after another.

"Jimmy, are you there? I bought you a gift, the new watch you wanted before."

"Honey, I miss you again. How about we go out for dinner?"

"I just bought a new outfit. Do you think it's sexy? I'll wear it for you tonight!"

Roy pursed his lips, too lazy to even reply.

I don't have time right now.

After accumulating the initial funds and connections, the older sister and her wives were no longer of much use.

I've long since stopped using alluring fragrances, which diminishes my charm.

In addition, by refusing to meet and exhibiting various cold behaviors to sever ties, the sisters gradually calmed down and distanced themselves.

Even Stina, who was previously infatuated with herself, has shown signs of change.

But several ladies were still reluctant to leave.

Roy speculated that this might be an attraction that transcends the physical body and originates from the level of the soul.

The influence of deities on believers is somewhat similar, both involving attraction on a spiritual level.

What arises is not infatuation, but worship, awe, and all the other feelings that small lives have for great beings.

For example, gravity causes surrounding planets to be attracted by their own sun, forming a system like a galaxy.

He has no time to waste on those ladies; he needs to think about how to spread his faith.

******
Roy had known for a long time that the priesthood had been born with a "heart of faith" from the very beginning, and that this was its foundation.

This is equivalent to a signal receiver, capable of receiving power from powerful beings in outer planes.

Those who are steadfast in mind and wise in their wisdom (different gods have different selection criteria, and it is possible that the opposite is true) are selected from among the believers to serve as pastors, and then they are given divine arts.

Among them, the "source of magic" and the "heart of faith" are not completely equivalent. The energy part depends on divine favor and divine power.

Generally, deities bestow divine favor according to the strength of their followers, so their energy attributes may also exhibit a corresponding level of degree.

However, this does not mean that the inner workings are like this, but is merely a coincidence of superficial phenomena. He had previously bestowed upon Preso a divine blessing of about 100 degrees, equivalent to a level two source of magic, as a divine anchor point, which remained constant within him.

This is the key to his ability to perform the "Yellow Transformation Technique".

This kind of blessing, for the deity, is also a depletion of their essence, which weakens their divine power.

Fortunately, as long as there are enough believers, it can be continuously produced to make up for this consumption.

From Preso’s own perspective, this investment was undoubtedly a pure loss.

However, if this person can give full play to their initiative and help develop hundreds or thousands of believers, little by little, they can accumulate a great number.

Divine power and authority increased accordingly...

That's profit!
Tens of thousands of devout believers maintaining this number for a year is enough to produce a standard quantity of divine power crystals.

That would be over 2 million (10000 * 0.6 * 365, where 0.6 is a hypothetical multiplier) spiritual units, enough to instantly replenish the power of a level 3 priest and allow them to fully cast "Divine Descent"!
With millions of devout believers linking to the divine, it is enough to create a new god with over 10 points of power, a true god-level being.

Many faiths are spread based on a number of 10 or 100 million devout believers, supplemented by 10 times more superficial believers or 100 times more general believers.

Over the years, this will accumulate into an unimaginable amount of wealth.

Therefore, every deity who has been promoted for some years possesses vast and inexhaustible divine power, limited only by their divine rank and the method of projection.

However, the problem now is that his path to becoming a true god has only just begun, and Preso is just slacking off.

Roy felt that things couldn't continue like this.

"It seems it's time to put some intensity on his performance management."

The primary principle of alchemy is equivalent exchange, and my maxims and doctrines are also based on equivalent exchange...

"Simply lying around like this doesn't deserve my 'divine favor'!"

……

The lower city of the floating city.

In Preso's laboratory.

This middle-aged man, once again, found a bargain and made a little money. He then indulged in a small luxury by buying some rare "all-natural food" and enjoying it immensely.

After a satisfying meal, I drifted off to sleep.

"Preso..."

Preso…

In a daze, Preso vaguely heard a voice calling to him.

A hazy, radiant light floated before me, and an indescribable, sacred splendor emerged.

Preso stood up, looking at the scene in surprise.

"who are you?"

"I am the god of alchemy, and I bestow upon you the power of 'Yellowing'."

"Huh?" Preso was taken aback.

"The previous 'Yellow Transformation Technique,' and the notebook that inexplicably appeared on my desk—were all gifts from you?"

"good."

"Thank you very much."

"Preso, the blessings of the gods cannot be repaid with a simple thank you."

From within the sphere of light, the voice carried a strange, profound meaning, issuing a chilling warning.

“If you cannot develop more than 100 believers within three years, your ‘divine favor’ will disappear.”

The divine arts you once possessed will no longer be usable.

"Oh, you mean that was a trial voucher for me?"

"The gifts of the gods have always been so. You should face the mission you bear and proclaim the teachings of this god..."

Remember, three years!
You only have three years!

As the light faded, Preso jolted awake.

"Is it a dream?"

He touched his forehead and realized that although the room's temperature control system was still running normally, he was still covered in a cold sweat.

Then I felt grateful for the mysterious power that had inexplicably appeared in my body before.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but it seems to have actually diminished a bit.

"Missionary work? How do you do that?"

Preso became distressed.

……

At the same time, in several other places.

On the ground, in the garbage dump, Gram stared blankly at what lay before him.

A corpse is rapidly dissolving.

The cause of this scene was the "darkening technique" that I had inexplicably and unintentionally mastered before.

The divine magic bestowed by the self-proclaimed god of alchemy can conjure up the rare black water magic liquid out of thin air, which corrodes flesh and blood with astonishing efficiency, killing enemies.

This is not just alchemical sorcery, but also a powerful offensive spell!
"Hahaha……

Ha ha ha ha……"

Gram was stunned for a long time, then suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter.

"The Wolf Gang, Old Baldy, and..."

Damn Drake!

I want you all dead!

Even in the landfill, turbulent events are unfolding.

At the very bottom of this world, refugees from all walks of life gather, and undocumented immigrants and alien criminals roam freely.

Gram and his family were stranded here many years ago and have never been able to improve their lives, relying solely on the various kinds of garbage discarded from the upper districts to survive.

But because of a fight over some trash, he gets caught up in gang warfare. His parents were once business elites and big stars in the original world...

Right before everyone's eyes, he was torn to pieces and eaten alive by the alien monster "Demon Wolf" kept by the villain Drake!

Gram had to take his younger sister and hide from place to place, even risking crossing regions to reach another junkyard to survive.

Years later, in another conflict, he finally hardened his heart and used divine magic to kill the gang members who oppressed him, thus verifying the authenticity of the power he inexplicably gained while half-awake.

The knowledge that inexplicably surfaced in his mind told him that this thing was not just for direct attacks.

It can also dissolve various substances, help in crafting alchemical bombs, magical potions, and all sorts of magical treasures.

Gram waited a little longer, making sure the body in front of him had disappeared without a trace, then buried it and left without looking back.

After that, he absorbed knowledge like a sponge, frantically studying the mysterious knowledge in the secret scrolls and mastering more applications related to the blackening technique.

Ablation, corrosion, etching...

All sorts of derivative spells are also under their control.

In just over a year, the landfill here has undergone a dramatic change of power.

The second-level priest, nicknamed "Black Hand Gram," became the new king of the underworld.

******
Almost at the same time period.

In the Upper City, two other recipients of "divine revelation," Borret and Vermenos, also rose to prominence.

Borett possesses the "albinism" technique, and his original profession was a doctor among the Saqr people.

Even in a society where artificial intelligence and life science technologies are highly advanced, the medical profession still exists perfectly well.

Because robots cannot take responsibility in place of doctors, in the event of a medical accident, the responsibility must still be borne by a human.

Boruit got his job in a daze, and then he was blamed and fired in a daze.

Fortunately, he didn't go to jail; he only had his professional qualification certificate revoked.

Moreover, he was a citizen of Saqr, whose status was far higher than that of Preso in the lower city and Gram on the ground.

Why not just open an illegal clinic to treat refugees and other non-Saker citizens?

The Katari is a mixed bag, ranging from impoverished nobles like "Navax" and exiled warlords to garbage collectors like Gram in the past.

Without citizenship, people still can't afford to go to regular hospitals or see a doctor, so they can only go to these illegal clinics.

Without insurance, Sakor's medical services are simply not available to them; AI can answer questions but cannot sell medicines.

Rigid demand has created distorted prices, so he is still living a relatively comfortable life.

However, due to certain obsessions, Borret continued to study, attempting to master a method of complete purification.

Finally, his strong desire caught Roy's attention, and a document on "albinism" appeared out of nowhere on his desk.

Artificial flesh and blood, purification potion, white stone...

It then appears.

"Thank you, great god of alchemy!"

Compared to Preso and Gram, Borett's initiative and level of faith are significantly higher.

After realizing that he had experienced a "divine revelation," he prayed sincerely.

……

The fourth recipient, Phmenos, was equally devout, even fanatical.

His wish was to breathe life into a robot that bore the image of his beloved, so that it could be truly resurrected and stay with him forever!

Even before receiving divine revelation, he had already been studying on his own like crazy, mastering a great deal of knowledge in the field of magic, in addition to science.

As the son of a scientist with a certain status among the citizens of Saqq, he came from a family with a strong academic background and received a good education.

In his early years, he was a graduate of a prestigious university, and through his work and research, he became a rising star.

It's a pity that good luck makes people.

In a horrific accident, he watched helplessly as his childhood sweetheart was crushed by a terrifying gravitational field and turned into mincemeat on the spot.

After that, he developed severe post-traumatic stress disorder and prolonged grief disorder, and was diagnosed as unfit to continue working.

He secretly collected his lover's genes, attempting to revive her using cloning technology in the field of life sciences.

Even for a god-level civilization, its mastery of the spiritual and soul realms is still far inferior to that of the magical side.

The two sides, though pursuing different paths, have not yet reached a consensus; in this respect, a despairing gap still exists.

Life sciences can only ever produce emotionless dolls. Even if artificial intelligence technology is used to simulate extremely realistic intelligent beings, they are still just substitutes.

Therefore, he resolutely abandoned his major in astrophysics and gravitational field research and turned to life engineering.

But the more he researched, the more desperate he became, to the point that he began to waver in his belief in science and turned to magic and the mystical.

It was under these circumstances that the continuous shining of spiritual light finally caught Roy's attention.

Roy granted his request and bestowed upon him the red portion of black, white, yellow, and red that is associated with spirit and soul.

Fermenos was overjoyed and devoted himself to studying it, quickly mastering the "Reddening Technique" and related secret arts such as wisdom enlightenment and soul recipes.

But before he could even begin to try, Roy poured cold water on his enthusiasm.

"The primary principle of alchemy is [equivalent exchange]..."

We must preach to maintain God's favor!

……

Another day, in the Upper City, inside a temporarily rented metal cube.

Wearing a red robe and a golden mask, Phomenos sat quietly on a large, classically styled high-backed chair, waiting for the others to arrive.

The cyborg "Nova," modeled after his lover, stood quietly to his side, clad in a metallic battle suit and covered by a visor, like a loyal guardian.

Before long, Gram, Preso, and Borret arrived as scheduled.

As agreed, they all put on robes of their own colors and wore golden masks.

"You are the 'Red Robe'!"

Seeing Phmenos, who sat high above the crowd and already considered himself the patriarch of the church, Gram's eyes revealed a hint of wariness and dissatisfaction.

But what followed was a profound sense of powerlessness.

"That bastard hacked my internet!"

He had no idea who the other party was; all he knew was that one day, his personal devices and home network were hacked.

The cyberattack, which clearly demonstrated a technological gap, stole all my data, and even my most cherished sister was thoroughly investigated.

Fortunately, the other party seemed to have no ill intentions. They simply revealed that we were both chosen by the gods and sent us robes, informing us of the time and place of our secret meeting.

Graham had no choice but to comply.

Compared to Gram's vigilance, Preso and Borrett had completely different feelings.

Their feelings about this meeting were limited to that of "meeting online friends in person".

As fellow believers of the god of alchemy, they felt a natural affinity for this mysterious "red-robed" figure, and deep down they harbored a secret desire to curry favor with him.

So they all agreed to come and take a look.

To be honest, the outfit prepared by this "red-robed" person is quite cool, making them look like a stylish and mysterious organization.

If we could leverage the power of such a mysterious organization, the task assigned by the God of Alchemy would be much easier to complete!

"Please have a seat, everyone."

Contrary to what everyone initially thought was a hierarchy, after giving them a rude awakening, Vermenos arranged the seating in a clearly equal arrangement, with the four sides facing each other.

The group, arranged in black, white, yellow, and red, occupied the center of each of the four sides, more than ten meters apart, and each sat down in a huge, classically styled high-backed chair.

"I believe you have received divine revelation regarding the beginning and end of this matter, so I need not elaborate."

In short, a year and a half has passed, and we have all achieved certain results in our individual development.

It's time to gather our strengths and take the church a step further, establishing an organization.

I propose that we establish a religion to worship our God...

Who is in favor and who is against? "

"Agree."

"Of course I agree."

Preso and Borrett had long intended to do so and couldn't wait to say it.

Graham: "...

Agreed!

(End of this chapter)