Apocalypse Forecast

After allowing others to verify its authenticity, Garandor then opened his mouth, saying: "I, Garand·Van·Hert, hereby assure you all: the Stone Pot Society is merely acting in accordance with the contract, having received a message from Helios, and is only responsible for transporting the alchemists of the contract here."

In other words, it is Helios itself that has summoned you all to this place."

Once said, everyone stared intently at the Stone of Truth.

The pure white surface was flawless.

In a corner, the old woman from Egypt, Ema, raised her eyes, her pupils contracting into vertical slits like those of a beast: "If that’s the case, why is there a need for a Great Grandmaster to merely lead the team?"

A consultant of the Stone Pot Society, a pivotal upper-level leader, one of only eleven Great Grandmasters in the world — why go out of their way to lead a group of alchemists?

"This is my second mission on this trip."

Garandor replied calmly: "According to the Stone Pot Society’s observations from half a year ago, the star mark trajectory of the Helios Workshop showed anomalies, with a high probability of conducting a forbidden alchemy secret rite. As a representative of the Stone Pot Society, I came this time to investigate and adjudicate on the Helios Workshop."

Only, I did not expect it to be too late."

In just half a year, a once paramount source of alchemy, the former Sun God’s chariot, one of the ten great workshops, had fallen to such a state.

Along with the alchemists above, it is feared that they too encountered misfortune.

The current Helios has become a dangerous presence comparable to Depth Hell.

"Ha!"

The Russian Federation’s metallography master, Valery Ugarov, sneered: "Did the Stone Pot Society not know what happened here before coming? I recall that four of the largest observatories in the whole territory are maintained by the Stone Pot Society, right? Yet you still brought us nameless recruits here, expecting us to pave the way as cannon fodder?"

In the silence, Garandor looked over indifferently: "Valery, you are here because of your contract with Helios. You accepted Helios’s relics and gifts, so you must serve it; you may breach the contract and pay the price, but your contract is irrelevant to the Stone Pot Society."

Don’t forget, the essence of alchemy—"

If there is a law in this world called ’only by giving can you gain,’ then the essence of alchemy is ’to gain there must be sacrifice.’

In the constant furnace of material, to transcend, one must discard the dross; to transform, one must abandon the old form.

The price of all miracles is disaster.

The consequence of all changes is sedimentation.

At the end of all sublimation, something will solidify.

Obtaining Helios’s relics essentially binds you with the Helios Workshop.

Valery remained silent, without speaking.

"Rest assured, I have no intention of forcing any of you to serve and die for me."

Garandor said, "Currently, it is Helios that cannot fulfill the contract, which can be attributed to uncontrollable factors, unrelated to you — but due to the limitations of the mission, before a preliminary investigation of what happened at Helios and completing the rescue of survivors, I cannot return."

If any of you are unwilling to go to Helios, you may remain on the Child of Leviathan in peace, and all treatments will not change, but you must hand over your own token for supervision."

Once said, many people’s faces changed.

"On what grounds!"

"Great Grandmaster, isn’t your arrangement somewhat excessive?"

"What if I say no?"

Many alchemists’ eyes turned dangerous.

"The reason is simple; first of all, the only way to enter Helios is with the token."

Garandor tapped his cane, causing the Child of Leviathan to emit a grand chant.

Soon, everyone saw an artificial human being placed into a spacesuit, thrown into the vacuum of space, gradually heading towards the distant Helios.

And the moment it approached tens of kilometers around Helios, it exploded into a ball of fire.

Instantly reduced to ashes, disappearing without a trace.

"As you can see, although Helios is damaged, it still maintains the operation of the defensive mystic ritual — the Flame of the Moon Corona."

Garandor explained.

In alchemy, the sun corresponds to the existence of the moon.

As the symbol of the sun, Helios’s chariot can naturally invoke the power of the coronas, using unparalleled heat to completely obliterate its enemies.

However, such maximum output, even with Helios’s countless years of source substance accumulation, cannot be maintained long-term.

Moreover, that is a weapon of destruction, not a shield.

Thus, there exists the conversion mystic ritual. Through the ritual, the presence of an ’invisible moon’ is projected around Helios, replacing the substantial solar flames with a voided moon surface.

As long as the body of Helios remains, this defense can be endless.

Now, after Helios lost its response, unless an alchemist contracted with the Helios Workshop enters with their own token, any matter intruding will be incinerated into nothingness by the cold Moon Corona Flame.

At this moment, everyone understood the terms proposed by Garandor when leaving the Moon.

But suddenly, they sensed something was off.

One-eyed Ragnar asked: "Even so, if we hand over the tokens, won’t your people also be unable to use them, Garandor?"

"The specific exploration will be conducted by my seven disciples who have signed a contract with Helios, and the alchemists willing to assist."

Garandor stated bluntly: "The reason I wish for you to hand over the tokens is merely to prevent any unnecessary situations."

To this extent, it could not be clearer.

You may choose not to assist, but do not think about secretly going up to cause a scene.

He did not conceal his suspicion.

From the outset, Garandor laid the issue bare, allowing no one to avoid it.

"... This..."

After a brief silence, someone chuckled nervously: "Isn’t Garandor underestimating people too much?"

"Yes, perhaps."

Garandor retorted indifferently: "But making things clear from the start is the only way to maintain long-lasting respect, isn’t it?

Now that Helios has fallen to this state, even though I am a Great Grandmaster, I do not hold any coercive authority over you. Therefore, it is better to prevent unnecessary accidents from the beginning.

Moreover, this is also for your own safety."

"Safety?" Ragnar snorted: "Acceptance of detention and surveillance is also considered safety?"

"It is only out of consideration that not everyone among you has pure intentions."

Garandor glanced at him: "For example, you, Mr. Ragnar, as the future successor of the Silver Stele, you already stand on a height many never reach in their lifetime without Helios, so why have you come?

And Mr. Iz, the Noble Blood Descendant of America, not even an alchemist, yet holding your own token, surely you’re not here just to visit and catch up?

Ms. Ema, as the High Priestess of the Bastet God, a child of the Pharaoh, even if seeking a higher realm, why not visit Egypt’s Endless Treasury?

And... Mr. Huai."

His icy eyes suddenly turned to Huai Shi, who was quietly watching the drama unfold from the corner: "As the esteemed Owner of Tanbo and a registered military officer of the Astronomical Society, you have never been known for alchemy nor pursued its true essence... and even possess a complete Forger inheritance yourself.

So now, why have you come?"

"Ah this..."

Huai Shi was stunned.

Old man, are you crazy? Couldn’t it be that I’m here to study hard and improve myself daily!

How dare you belittle my passion for alchemy!

How dare you disparage my character and integrity!

Huai Shi’s expression turned serious, ready to respond sternly, but suddenly realized: Perhaps, maybe, possibly, he really is...

Among those with impure motives?