"Experiment No. 3125 on energy-materialized bodies, preparations complete. Begin."
"I'm ready, darling. Let's start."
"Commencing construction of the spirit core. Soul Stone in position."
"Stone in place!"
"Beginning spell inscription… writing framework… inscribing the materialization model… encoding soul-body link information… sealing spirit core. Pandora, how's the charging spell preparation?"
"No problem. I checked it three times this time, absolutely no chance of repeating that silly mistake, darling. You can rest assured."
"Good. Core sealing complete. Prepare to energize the subject."
"Leave it to me. Virtual circuit connection to spirit core complete. Charging spell, initiating."
…
…
"Charging complete, darling."
"Then comes the final step. Prepare detection spell, Soul Stone, release."
"…Detection spell is showing a soul reaction. Spiritual radiance faint… but… wait, it's rising! Amazing! Darling, this time we might really succeed!"
"Too soon to celebrate. Back in experiments 2634, 2640, and 2781, the soul light began at normal levels but vanished within a minute.
In 2815 and 3010, the soul radiance rose from faint to bright, only to collapse at its peak. Experiment 3114's glow never faded, but the soul couldn't control the body at all, it was just a walking corpse. So don't get ahead of yourself."
"Okay, okay, I know already. You nag too much."
"Experiments demand rigor. Drawing conclusions from one or two signs before results are stable is a fast way to, "
"Fine, fine, I was wrong, all right? Ugh, really… Eh? Look, it moved!"
"Yes, I see. Basic motor control acceptable. Next, test soul integration, starting with sensory functions."
"Understood. Hmm… then, ShareHusk."
"How is it?"
"Meow, meow meow, meow, meow."
"?"
"Meow meow, meow."
"Could you drop the spell and just talk? Forget it, so troublesome. Speak with Animals."
"Ehehe… I accidentally let my whole consciousness slip in. But everything feels normal! Vision, smell, hearing, exactly like an ordinary cat."
"And movement?"
"Very agile! See? No sense of rejection. Honestly, it feels no different from being a real cat."
"Next: tactile and hidden senses."
"You mean… ah, wait! Don't, stop, let me, ah… oh… ohhh… my… there… no, not there… mmph… my tail… ugh…"
"Mhm. Seems normal. Now let's test spell-like abilities."
"Ugh… still…"
"What?"
"Still… want more."
"More what?"
"I want more head pats… and tail strokes… feels so good."
"Wake up! You're not really a cat. You're just under ShareHusk. You're still human!"
"Eh? S-sorry… ugh, so embarrassing… it's your fault, you stroked me too well! You've never touched me like that, but with cats, "
"Hold it. We're still in the middle of an experiment. No nonsense."
"O-okay… additional spell-like ability test: Shadow Walk, "
"Success. You've entered the shadows. How does it feel?"
"Just like using normal shadow walking. And wow, spell-like abilities are so convenient!"
"Indeed. Final test passed. You can return now."
"So… does that mean we succeeded this time?"
"Yes."
"Darling, you're amazing!"
Soul Materialization, the Third Magic among the Five True Magics. The art of achieving true immortality. Its principle: using the soul as an eternal source of energy, crafting a perfect vessel of flesh that matches the undying soul.
After all, Heroic Spirits and their summoned Servants are simply forms of soul materialization.
Though Alaric's research had not yet reached the full level of the Third Magic, he was already infinitely close.
Through Pandora's divine body, he had learned how to construct a tangible vessel governed by a spirit core, and how to transform an energy-form body into true matter, not like elemental beings, but actual substance.
With this, Alaric succeeded in crafting a spirit core from a cat's soul sealed in a Soul Stone, using energy to grant it a heroic-spirit-like body. He even enhanced it, embedding powers no normal cat should possess, abilities akin to magic.
This creation was essentially the same principle behind the Fuyuki Grail War, devised by the Three Families of the Nasuverse, summoning a Heroic Spirit's soul and shaping it into flesh with mana.
The difference was that Grail Servants required continuous mana from their Master to survive.
True Soul Materialization required only one more step: harnessing the soul itself as a perpetual energy source.
If that step were achieved, Servants could exist independently, without a Master's mana.
And in truth, Alaric already had clues about how to reach that step.
His previous observations of the Nasuverse's genesis, along with the truths imprinted in his mind, were far from useless.
While he could not yet directly wield that fundamental knowledge, he could exploit it indirectly.
Where ordinary magi would risk plunging into the Swirl of the Root, gambling on a chance to return alive, Alaric needed no such risk.
No matter which of the Five Magics it was, with methodical study and research, he could achieve it as if it were ordinary sorcery.
Alaric was confident: soon, the Third Magic would be his.
Of course, according to the Nasuverse's history, the bearer of the Second Magic, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, had not yet been born.
Even the First Magic's bearer might not yet exist. Perhaps, when he succeeded, the title of "Third" would have to be reassigned?
In any case, starting with Pandora's divine vessel, Alaric had already drawn near to the Third Magic's realization.
He knew that only by attaining it would he wield true power before the gods. But that didn't mean he intended to hide away until then.
For nearly a century in this cave, no, his mage tower, though disguised as a cave to escape divine eyes, Alaric hadn't remained shut in.
Beyond venturing out with Pandora for fresh air, he often visited Artemis' temple, returned to the moon to accompany Attila, and, of course, held secret trysts with Aphrodite.
Attila was one matter; with Artemis, his relationship lingered in ambiguity. But as for the goddess of love, under her relentless teasing, Alaric had long since claimed her entirely.
Just days ago, during one such rendezvous, he heard a piece of gossip from her lips.
On the western coast of Attica, the Phoenicians had built a prosperous seaside city.
Both Athena, goddess of wisdom and war, and Poseidon, god of the sea, had set their sights upon it, vying to be its patron deity.
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