Manaka Sajyou

At this moment, only Rovey was on the podium, facing everyone.

Unlike previous promotions that required the approval or authorization of the Lord or the old Magus, this time he stood alone on the platform.

The mere thought of Aiwass appearing and them standing on the same level as the gods made them tremble uncontrollably.

That would be utterly blasphemous.

So no one was willing to do it, and no one dared to do it. They had already placed the rank certificates on the podium, and all that was needed was for Rovey to pick them up himself.

As for reading it aloud, is there any need to question that?

If one's own power to restore the gods and revive the mysteries of the entire era towards an Age of Gods revival is not worthy of being granted the rank of "Grand Rank," then there's no need for anyone else; the Clock Tower itself will be in chaos, and Magecraft worldwide will protest.

In fact, given Rovey's current level, he shouldn't be merely a Grand Rank. He should obviously be above that rank and should be placed on the same level as the Five Great Magics to make sense. However, unfortunately, the highest rank in the Clock Tower is currently only Grand Rank. If a rank were created out of thin air, there would be certain problems with its popularity and promotion.

Kenneth had also asked Aiwass about this matter, wanting him to voluntarily grant a new rank. However, Aiwass didn't care about the Clock Tower's rank; on the contrary, from the perspective of a guide, he felt that Rovey was far from qualified and that the Grand Rank was sufficient.

As for the final destination, the answer will only be known when he has walked all the paths and become a true "master" or "demon god".

However, the title or True Magic name for him was proposed by Aiwass himself.

"This is..."

Looking at the four extremely familiar characters on the certificate, Rovey was somewhat surprised, but he quickly realized that it must have been arranged by Aiwass.

[—Golden Dawn]

"Seriously, I'm not Aleister, how come I keep seeing this name here?"

He gently shook his head, then looked down at the crowd below. At this moment, he could clearly feel the different sensation under the gaze of tens of thousands of Magus.

It was a special feeling of being anticipated, pursued, spied on, and desired, along with a heavy pressure.

It's like how all living beings believe in some being that is superior to themselves.

In this way, those who are trusted will seek higher beings in order to escape this heavy pressure, and those higher beings will yearn for even stronger and more trustworthy individuals. In this way, all kings are born, and all gods are born.

Over 99% of the people here today are like this.

At this moment, they place their hopes on themselves, hoping to see a new future in themselves, a future that belongs to the Magus.

"I see..."

At that moment, Rovey seemed to understand something; he also realized the significance and desire of this group of Magus.

Since you have no goal, since you can never seem to catch up with hope, then let me give you a direction. So—

Without saying much, white-gold snowflakes drifted down behind him, and then his white-gold body floated in the wind, landing slowly beside him without warning, appearing before everyone across thousands of meters.

In an instant, all the Magus present widened their eyes, clearly unable to comprehend what had just happened.

This mode of movement is completely different from flying and landing. It is not simply a transfer from one location to another, but a natural integration into the world. It is a matter of course that one can cross thousands of meters without flapping wings.

This special being, even without doing anything, is able to perfectly unify its integration with the world and its incongruity within itself. Or, to put it simply, this is not an existence that can be understood using mere common sense.

With just one glance at His appearance, the Magus present fell silent. A black-haired princess and the two knights beside her began to tremble violently. They realized that something was wrong and dared not make a sound for fear of attracting His attention.

Aiwass paid no attention to the Magus below, or the Dead Apostle mingling in the crowd; he simply stood quietly beside Rovey and then spoke—

Men and women are all like stars.

Do as you please, that is your law.

Chapter 160 Sajyou Manaka

Faced with reality and needs, all ideals are pale and powerless.

In front of Aiwass, all the questions that had troubled the Magus's mind in the past could be answered.

Because He is the true "Law" and "Mari," in this age where no deity has appeared in the world, He has become the pinnacle of the mystical realm.

There was a time when someone would appear before them and tell them that the world was about to be destroyed and that humanity was about to face true extinction in many different ways.

The Magus present would undoubtedly think he was insane, and would mercilessly laugh at him while pulling him off the stage. Only a select few intelligent people with special methods could predict that this statement was absolutely true, and they had also considered how to endure it, or rather, how to prevent it. Similar issues had already arisen in the Atlas Institute and the Wandering Sea.

However, due to the mutual distrust among Magus and the inherent flaws of human nature, they were unable to persuade the others and could only try their best in the face of the coming torrent in their own way until they were completely crushed.

However, if such a scene were to occur today, no one would laugh at it anymore. Of course, it's not that they wouldn't want to, but rather that they wouldn't dare to.

After all, today's scene is so similar to that of the Holy Son who carried divine revelation and preached the doctrine to the world more than two thousand years ago. How absurd and laughable it was to people at that time, and it is the same now.

If it were just Rovey alone, he would definitely be regarded as a madman and heretic and punished. But unfortunately... unlike the Holy Son who was alone two thousand years ago, this time he has a true Guardian Angel standing behind him.

If prophecies delivered by Magus are considered madness, what about words delivered by true divine Executor, true Prophet, and true angels?

That is divine revelation and oracle, a gift from the gods to mankind, and also a test for mankind. No matter how absurd it may seem, it cannot be questioned. Everything is just as it was long ago.

Therefore, whether they were those who originally hoped to receive genuine guidance from Aiwass, those who harbored ill intentions and sought to see the truth here, or those who were filled with worship and longing and intended to obtain the Mari from Aiwass, they all fell silent.

Magus, Executor, and even supernatural beings from all organizations fell silent, especially upon hearing Aiwass mention the two most likely possibilities: the "Steel Earth" and the "Moon Coral." What should have been a perfectly good promotion speech, where the successor, Rovey, stood before everyone, representing the Clock Tower to showcase their mystery and wonder to the entire mystical world, and where Aiwass's appearance would directly solidify the Clock Tower's leading position in the magical world, instead triggered a terrifying chain reaction of shockwaves.

First, they brought up the theories of the madman Aleister's "Law Book" from a hundred years ago, confirming that the mind can indeed be a new direction for magic, which greatly broke the traditional concept of Magus. Then came the so-called doomsday theory.

Upon hearing this, Tzvia from the Atlas Institute cheered on the spot.

After all, he had been dedicated to unifying forces for countless years, but even the Atlas Institute couldn't fully mobilize his influence. With this sudden release, no one could ignore it.

Meanwhile, Marisbury Animusphere, who had been looking rather grim because he had lost his entire fortune, initially showed some doubt when he heard that Aiwass knew about this, but he quickly accepted the reality.

Apart from the Church members who had strange expressions, the other Magus were lost in thought and fear.

Especially over there on the other side of the Wandering Sea.

Although they had some vague clues about this matter before, the apocalypse had nothing to do with the revival of the Age of Gods. Even if the apocalypse really came, they could hide in their own secret realm and continue to do nothing, focusing on their research on the revival of the Age of Gods, so they wouldn't care.

But now...

Miracles are happening again on earth, and True Ether is beginning to regenerate in London. They have studied the Age of Gods their whole lives and have just witnessed its revival. Before they could even experience it firsthand, they were told that the end of the world was coming.

No, that won't do.

Whether humanity perishes or not is unimportant to them; at worst, they'll just stop being human. But the destruction of a planet or Age of Gods is absolutely unacceptable.

The world must not be destroyed before they reach the Mari.

Thus, thanks to Aiwass's speech, the Clock Tower presentation, which was originally intended to make him famous, completely failed.

The Black Princess, who was hiding in the crowd and watching, did not make any rash moves, so Aiwass did not take action either. After all, the Dead Apostle might be a force that could be used, although the probability was indeed small, it was still something to look forward to.

Moreover, rather than meaninglessly and arbitrarily erasing life, He now wants to witness the possibilities of life on this planet.

So Aiwass didn't say much, but simply pointed out a feasible path for them according to Rovey's plan, giving them the opportunity to prepare in advance, as well as his own guidance and help, but the rest was up to the Magus themselves.

After all, He always believed that "all people are stars."

Aiwass was also looking forward to seeing how these Magus would respond, following their own paths.

Thus, under the watchful eyes of all the Magus present, the brief moment that Aiwass's figure disappeared also marked the end of this promotion.

At this moment, without exception, they all felt extremely conflicted. They had clearly confirmed what they wanted to witness, and knew that the Age of Gods was indeed returning, but...

Why can't I feel happy?

Perhaps it's because this revival of the Age of Gods is likely just a final burst of energy before death, like a last meal before someone's demise.

However, whatever the reason, whether it is to pursue the Mari further, to simply carry out the angel's command, or simply to save one's own life.

But one thing is certain: from this very moment today, the entire world's demonic path will truly begin to move and will enter an unprecedented state of alert.

Among the countless branches of the world, one world has now truly sprouted a new bud.

The once numb Magus truly united, coalescing into a powerful force. On the withered branch of this world, a real leaf sprouted, which they named—[Hope].

The time will be approximately seven days later.

It's the number seven again; it seems like anything related to this number is bound to bring good things.

Although Aoko's style became increasingly bolder during those seven days because of what happened that night, the two of them still didn't really take that final step because of their sense of responsibility.

Rovey's reply was, "Next time for sure."

Streets in London.

After completing a seven-day intensive study session with Aiwass, Rovey, who had made significant progress once again, unusually took the initiative to suggest that they go to London together.

"Aiwass, do you really think those guys can get things done?"

"What do you mean?"

"Hmm... to put it simply, let them discuss it themselves. Are you sure they won't fight over the spoils?"

"That's certainly possible, but isn't internal elimination and consolidation also for better progress?"

"It's just that the price of this progress is a bit too heavy..."

"Human progress is usually accompanied by pain. However, it seems that we are doing quite well so far."

A man and a bird? One was radiating light and hovering in mid-air, while the other was dressed casually. The two chatted as they approached the high wall blocking the east side of London. Due to the evacuation of people, there were no ordinary people in this area at the moment.

Just three days ago, this area was an empty plot of land, but now a high wall and many huge buildings have been laid, and construction is proceeding at a staggering pace that would leave the modern construction industry speechless. If an ordinary person were here, they would find it hard to imagine where so many building materials had been transported in so quietly from.

However, no one would actively approach it, because the dense array of dispelling spells would subconsciously make people feel uneasy and want to stay away. But there's no need to worry about this area disrupting their lives, as the entire London will be rapidly devoured by this inner city. Furthermore, these Magus will continue to establish more otherworldly realms on this land, using them as new bases for their headquarters.

It is worth mentioning that because Aiwass affected the Leyline in the London area, the success rate of the originally extremely complicated and low-success-rate otherworld creation Magecraft has been greatly increased, which has made the construction speed even faster. Even the original Leyline have begun to approach the level of the Age of Gods, which is more than enough to support the entire Mage's Association.

"... This is outrageous! In just three days, a city-sized area comparable to the Clock Tower has sprung up on the same spot. Is this still the same group of Magus who make decisions before doing anything?"

Even Rovey couldn't help but sigh at such efficiency.

"That's why people say humans are really complex creatures. They have so many possibilities, but they always like to hide them, only revealing them at the last moment, just like now."

"I remember this school district was contracted out to Atlas Institute?"

"Yes, the school district of the Wandering Sea has been negotiating with the Clock Tower because it wants to be closer to your home. However, what we do know is that all three departments of the Mage's Association are relocating to London. The magical city you envisioned is already under construction. So, are you satisfied?"

"What can I say now? They've gone to such lengths; it seems they're really giving their all to protect themselves. Of course, it would be even better if they didn't always carry out construction so secretly near my house."

"Yes, humans only gather together when facing a life-or-death crisis. What do you think would be a good name for this new city?"

"Academy City?"

"..."

Aiwass paused noticeably.

"Alright, I won't mess around with you anymore." Noticing the strange look in Aiwass's eyes, Rovey thought seriously for a moment and finally gave a similar name, "What do you think of the name 'Inner London'?"

"It's a very ordinary name, but it sounds alright. If it were mine, I would probably Tayler Abbey or Endymion."

Just how much do you like Aleister?

Rovey couldn't help but complain, "Alright, we've had enough of wandering around. We should get down to business."

"Getting down to business? Are you going back to see your girlfriend? The older one, or one of the younger ones?"

"Huh? You're so long-winded! Don't go on like this..."

The young man walking down the street hadn't even finished speaking when a figure suddenly darted out from the alleyway next to him.

And it seemed as if the person had planned this all along, as they lunged directly at Rovey, but whether by accident or on purpose, they seemed to deliberately twist their ankle halfway, and then fell at a perfect angle directly into Rovey's arms, or rather, deliberately snuggled into his arms.

Subconsciously embracing the light, floating weight, Rovey looked at the birdman beside him who seemed quite interested.

"... Didn't you sense that someone might suddenly appear? Aren't you an angel?"

"I'm not a pure angel, and you didn't feel anyone suddenly approaching you, did you? Instead of asking questions directly, I suggest you first take a good look at what's going on."

"What's the meaning?"

The young man who had instinctively hugged a girl frowned upon hearing this, then lowered his head and looked at the girl who was pretending to have her eyes closed.

"Sajyou Manaka?"

Then, Rovey immediately understood what Aiwass had just said and called out his name.

"Huh? You actually know me?"

"... I know you all too well."

"Yes, this development is actually quite interesting."

Aiwass said so.