This is quite a long story; just the meeting between Jacob and Solomon could take several hours to recount. Everyone present was very curious about what had happened in the past, and since Solomon had already sent people to eliminate Trinity, Jacob finally had time to slowly tell the tale. In Jacob's story, Solomon appeared in the mortal world accompanied by a golden light—anyone could see that he was no ordinary person.
To Laura's question, Jacob explained, "Because he asked me to conceal the existence of the Divine Source under the guise of religion," Jacob said offhandedly. "If it was magic, then resurrection would be considered evil sorcery. If it was a miracle, then I would be a prophet on par with Jesus. I don't know why you're so hostile toward Jesus, but I do know your twisted sense of humor is what led Trinity to hunt me down."
"I can apologize," Solomon shrugged, which made him appear more human, no longer the aloof, golden giant who had stepped off the assault shuttle. "But you have to admit, if we hadn't used religion as a gimmick, those uneducated civilians would never have followed you, not even the Byzantine Emperor would've helped you," he said. "Without the religious façade, you wouldn't have survived until now."
"If so-called resurrection is magic, then why are there murals in Syria depicting angels in Baroque-style armor? You should know those aren't angels at all!" Having received treatment, Laura shook her head with difficulty and looked at Solomon. "So what exactly is that golden angel? Is that magic too?"
"No, that golden angel is something he entrusted me to guard—something that cannot yet be called human. It's merely one of the secrets hidden in Kitezh. And it's not the only thing he asked me to safeguard. Don't look at me like that, Sophia. I have no idea what the other things he asked me to keep are," Jacob said, walking toward the massive copper ring suspended in the center of the observation tower. "If it weren't for that golden angel, we couldn't have escaped the pursuit of Trinity and the Mongols with just those civilians, who were virtually incapable of fighting. But it doesn't stay awake for long—it only barely awakens when I or this mission faces mortal peril. I gathered a group of highly skilled craftsmen and ordered them to build the magnificent city of Kitezh to protect the golden angel's resting place. Where we are now is the outskirts of Kitezh. As for the Divine Source…"
"It's the Philosopher's Stone," Solomon interrupted. The power he sensed from the Prophet contained the four elements and aether—similar projects were underway in the Immortal City and given top priority. "The so-called Divine Source is very likely something I created in imitation of the true Philosopher's Stone. The Prophet's resurrection was achieved using that counterfeit."
"You never taught me how to use the Philosopher's Stone, Solomon." Jacob's expression grew lighter, as if Solomon's arrival meant what he had been waiting for was about to come true. "What you gave me was a fake, and not a very good one," he joked. "So to have a bit of self-preservation while the golden angel slept, I used it a little. If you want to complain, now's your chance!"
"Why would I complain?"
"Because I want to tell you that the way I used the Philosopher's Stone was entirely based on how you used it. I built an undead army to guard the golden angel. And now that army has rebelled…"
Solomon sighed.
Immortality comes at a cost, and for soldiers who have died many times, their souls would be gradually devoured by the Philosopher's Stone through repeated resurrections. Combined with Jacob's unorthodox usage and the weak willpower of ordinary people, it wouldn't take many cycles before those soldiers' souls were completely consumed and corrupted. Jacob, who held the Divine Source, must have been someone carefully selected by his future self. Jacob didn't yet know that Solomon had already learned all this through Phoenix's eyes. He said, "If you want to take back that golden angel, you'll need to destroy the undead soldiers entrenched in Kitezh. There are Mongol soldiers, Byzantine soldiers, even Trinity knights I persuaded during my travels, and Soviet pioneers who came here to explore. I just hope you brought enough manpower—because what you're facing are far from ordinary soldiers."
Solomon looked at Lara Croft, standing nearby.
"We need an archaeologist to assist with the excavation," he said. "Stop thinking about the Divine Source. If you're willing, I can show you the real Philosopher's Stone, as long as you help me complete this mission. I really need that thing. Sorry, Laura, I can't tell you why—it has nothing to do with whether I'm a mystic or not. I swear I knew nothing about this beforehand. Oh! You've got quite the punch!"
Lara Croft was deeply frustrated by how the magical world trampled over real-world history. No one could be sure if an artifact dug up during archaeology had once been someone's furniture—someone who was still alive. Like this time, the Divine Source turned out to have been created by Solomon. It felt like a slap in the face to everything her father had believed in. Maybe it was also because Solomon usually acted so approachable that Laura couldn't associate him with anything dark and mysterious at all.
"Jacob." Solomon patted the dirty coat of the undead Prophet. "I need you to mobilize your people to join this mission. You can't stay here much longer. Even if this batch of Trinity is eliminated, others will come looking for you. I'm inviting all your people to join the Immortal City."
"What do you want us to do?" Sophia asked. "Our people were born for this!"
"Not anymore. Greater things await you," Solomon replied. Jacob closed his eyes and nodded in agreement. He looked completely at peace—the thousand-year vigil was finally over.
"Girls should be entitled to inheritance too, right?" he said. "Sophia will receive everything I have."
"Yes, I can see it. Loyal blood runs in her veins."
"What are you talking about, Father?" Sophia asked, completely confused. A sense of dread began to form in her heart. Since childhood, she had always regarded her father as the greatest man in the world. No matter the illness, Jacob could cure it with herbs he prepared himself. She had always thought her father couldn't be hurt, but now she saw a wound on his soul that would never heal.
"I've lived too long, Sophia. Immortality is a curse, not a blessing. It's a curse the human mind cannot bear. I'm just an ordinary man who got lucky and was given a second chance at life. All of my powers are fake. Never once did a god grant me a miracle. You can tell the people that I was nothing more than a fraud who's been lying to them all along. The best thing that ever happened to me was meeting your mother and having you." He gave a wretched laugh. Gently pushing his daughter aside, Jacob knelt on one knee before Solomon.
"My watch has ended," he said. "Your sword can negate the power of the Divine Source. I need you to release me, my lord."
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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