Half an hour ago, in a secluded residence within Arcadia Royal City.
Accompanied by the flickering starlight, Hippones erged from a bronze altar, engraved with stars and Hers Script patterns.
Looking back at the dissipating miasma above the Arcadian Mountains, a deep apprehension arose in his eyes.
Thousands of prematurely birthed artificial life forms, along with blood and flesh accumulated from repeated battles on site, were already nearly depleted? That entity was terrifyingly powerful!
It seed, he had to make that move ahead of schedule!
Ensuring that no one was around, a flash of fierceness glead in Hippones's eyes. He imdiately donned a robe adorned with stars and moons, grasped the Caduceus from the Magic Circle Diagram, pulled on a hood to conceal his face, and stepped out of the barrier-protected courtyard.
"Priest, you've returned!"
A few Hers Cult followers standing guard outside turned towards the figure emitting a familiar presence, their faces lit with surprise and admiration.
Among the major sects currently in Greece, the Hers Trisgistus Sector was a later developnt, formally established only after the Olympus Holy War.
Yet, within just a few years, the Hers Trisgistus Sector had managed to secure a foothold in the thriving, vibrant Arcadia and achieved rapid dissemination. The person they revered as "Priest" played an indispensable role in this success.
On one hand, his accomplishnts in alchemy were extraordinary, having solved the two ultimate matters of "the Fifth Elent" (the Philosopher's Stone) and "artificial life" (Homunculus);
on the other hand, he had earned the trust of the King of Arcadia, which facilitated the cult's developnt in an official capacity.
Moreover, with his identity as a Blood Descendant of Hers and his generally mild and approachable deanor, he was highly esteed and respected by the followers of the Hers sect.
However, after a brief excitent, doubt crept onto the faces of the guards: "Weren't you and the other faithful heading to the Arcadian Mountains to quell the Beast Disaster? Why are you alone?"
Hippones spoke solemnly, "The expedition encountered an unexpected incident, I must imdiately go to the palace and see His Majesty!"
The Hers Cult followers, hearing this, their expressions turned grave.
Gathering all the Divine Blood Heroes and mages within Arcadia for the expedition, and still failing to triumph, could that an...
"Why panic? The situation has not yet reached a point of no return."
Hippones spoke calmly, then looked solemnly at everyone.
"The preparations I asked you to make before departure, how are they now?"
The surrounding Hers Cult followers, as if finding their pillar of strength, straightened their backs and replied excitedly.
"All is completed!"
"Everything is set up as per your instructions."
"Moreover, to not fail your trust, we have mobilized nearly all our fellow brethren."
Hearing the eager responses from the followers, Hippones nodded in satisfaction; the corners of his lips under the hood drew a cold sneer.
Fools!
Digging their own graves and still believing it to be a path to enlightennt.
"You have done well." Hippones praised them nonchalantly, then gently tapped the Caduceus, took out several pottery bottles from the Magic Circle Diagram, and generously distributed them to the people in front of him, smiling as he spoke, "Drink this, it's your due reward."
Pulling out the wooden stopper and looking at the red liquid inside the bottle, the followers were overtly excited.
The Fifth Elent liquid!
In the alchemical domain of the Hers Cult, this was an early hypothesized "invisible, intangible" fantastical substance. Distinct from the four basic elents of "fire, air, water, earth", it was known as "the Fifth Elent" and closely related to the essence of the soul and life.
Legend had it that alchemists who drank this red elixir made from the Fifth Elent, even if they did not gain immortality, could significantly enhance their alchemy skills and prolong their lives.
Currently, in the entire Hers Cult, the only person who knew how to extract the Fifth Elent was the Priest before them.
Though he possessed this valuable knowledge, he never kept it to himself but generously distributed the produced Fifth Elent liquid to the faithful contributors of the sect.
For instance, this ti, the Priest had given out a batch of the Fifth Elent liquid, prepared in advance for the Hers Cult mbers who were headed to the Arcadian Mountains to combat the Beast Disaster, enhancing their strength.
Due to his generous and selfless actions, he had managed to secure his current position, earning widespread support from the Hers Cult followers.
The followers, gazing at the precious Fifth Elent liquid in the bottle, consud it eagerly under the expectant gaze of the Priest.
However, they failed to notice a substance resembling white larvae floating in the red liquid.
Hippones, witnessing all this, sneered internally.
As he always emphasized, only life can exchange for life.
Likewise, only life can nurture life.
Thus, this elixir of immortality, derived from the Philosopher's Stone, was actually a nurturing solution for birthing artificial life forms.
Those followers of the Hers Cult in Arcadia were manipulated by him as puppets to combat his enemies because they had consud this Fifth Elent liquid, which carried the artificial life forms, before their departure.
There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and a god's gift often declares its price the mont it is given away.
Having quietly eliminated potential threats, Hippones began making his plans thodically: "The situation is urgent, notify all the faithful to gather at the Royal Palace! And, summon those from the Cult of Erebus as well!"
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