Death and Rebirth

"Probably several hundred times my original self."

"Several hundred times?!" Ritsuka Fujimaru dropped open slightly, and she immediately raised her hand, seemingly trying to calculate just how strong Mephistopheles would be, but then she gave up, finding it difficult to calculate accurately.

On the other end, Romani immediately looked at Leonardo da Vinci after hearing this. Leonardo da Vinci quickly did some calculations and then looked stunned. "I remember he was capable of causing devastating damage to a planet, wasn't he?"

Romani nodded slightly, and Olga Marie immediately followed suit. She had heard Medea's insults towards Mephistopheles, but after confirming that Mephistopheles was alright, she was relieved and her attention shifted to the specific changes in Mephistopheles's strength.

"Let's assume that Mephistopheles's original power level was stellar. Now that his power has increased several hundred times, we might need to add a new power level category."

"New rating categories?"

"According to the classification of stars by size, our original stellar class Ether. However, Mephistopheles, at full power, with the four archangels descending, could have destroyed the Earth without regard for anything else. This power already exceeded our original stellar class. After all, even with the Ether, it would take about twenty hours to accumulate enough energy to destroy the Earth."

As Olga Marie looked at the documents and data that Leonardo da Vinci had brought up, she listened to what Leonardo da Vinci was saying and knew that he was right.

The destruction mentioned here is not about burning the Earth's oceans or blowing up the entire surface of the globe; it refers to truly shattering the Earth into pieces, like a glass bead being broken.

Even within Chaldea, where this power is defined according to unconventional stellar standards, it would still require more than 20 hours to accumulate.

Of course, if a star-sized entity could fully integrate its energy and then launch a targeted attack, penetrating a planet wouldn't be so difficult, but that would be considered a shortcut.

Mephistopheles, however, is different. His original power was enough to easily destroy the Earth, equivalent to drawing upon almost a day's worth of solar energy in just a few seconds.

And now, the opponent's power has increased hundreds of times from that point!

What kind of terrifying power is this?

"Assuming a 500-fold increase, that's roughly equivalent to him unleashing the energy the sun releases in a year in an instant," Leonardo da Vinci said.

It bursts forth in an instant the energy that a star like the sun releases in a year...

This number weighed heavily on everyone's minds, plunging the command center into silence.

The numbers are easy to understand, and the amount of energy is also easy to understand, since we can see the sun every day.

But now, hearing that someone can release the sun's energy for a year in an instant, they find it hard to believe.

Is this even human?!

And yet, they still claim to be human, not even having entered the realm of God?!

Now, the Chaldea classification system, such as God-level and Chief God-level, has become a joke!

Moreover, according to Leonardo da Vinci, they did indeed need to carefully classify the subsequent ranks based on Mephistopheles's situation.

"Actually, there's no need." Suddenly, Mephistopheles appeared before them, as if he had teleported there without even going through the door. Seeing their surprised looks, Mephistopheles smiled. "Just a little bit of True Magic."

Even though it's not stable yet, it's already 7=4, which means it can truly achieve the ability to shrink the distance to an inch!

"The advancement in rank brings a surge in power, but this power originates from knowledge. I am still human, and I cannot be like Heroic Spirit, allowing you to feel the power within me that far surpasses that of humans. That is impossible, so there is no need to continue the division."

"Besides, once I stabilize my 7=4 level, my power will increase further. If you really want to categorize me, it will be too troublesome. After all, by then, according to your thinking, I will probably be classified into the category of the universe."

Seeing Mephistopheles's response, the others had no choice but to give up.

Leonardo da Vinci chuckled and shook his head, saying, "Indeed, it's too troublesome. There are too many levels to traverse between the stellar level like the Sun and the level of supermassive black holes... And if you could instantly reach the level of the universe, then such classification would not only exhaust my brain but would also be completely useless."

"But, 7 = 4 can reach the level of the universe?!" Olga Marie said with some doubt, "You mean the universe in the physical sense, right?"

The universe as described by Magecraft sometimes conflicts with physics. For example, the inner sea of a planet or the egg of a star are the universe in the Magecraft's eyes. As long as it continues to grow, it can become an independent world.

But Mephistopheles's world is not like that; the universe is the universe, and planets are planets.

Mephistopheles nodded. "The essence of 7=4 is to touch the Infinite with the finite. Even if what can be touched is not much, it is still the Infinite. It also represents the cycle of death and rebirth. This constant cycle is also a symbol of the Infinite."

"Of course, as I said, it's about using the finite to touch the Infinite. Even if you reach the baptism of the concepts of death and rebirth, when it's time to die, you still have to die. There's nothing you can do about it, since you haven't truly separated yourself from the concept of death."

As Mephistopheles spoke, he gently raised his hand. His hand looked strange; it was tangible, yet it appeared as if it were double.

"I request permission to go to the Temple for the ceremony; I need to solidify my position as soon as possible."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Marie, and the girl had just nodded in agreement when Mephistopheles simply smiled and then disappeared.

Mephistopheles looked at the Temple of Shiva, which had not been cleaned up and remained unchanged, and took a deep breath.

He took a step forward and then took out the ritual props.

Those are the seals of Jupiter, the Eye of Osiris, and the Holy Grail.

Red wine was poured into the Holy Grail, and then the altar was set up.

In the center of the altar stands a statue of Osiris, along with a uniquely shaped pillar reminiscent of ancient Egypt. This Djed Pillar Djed Pillar, representing stability and eternity.

On the left is a blue candle, representing Jupiter, and on the right is a golden lotus, representing benevolence.

On the left is Osiris, and on the right is Sachiel.

An Egypt god and an angel of Enoch coexisted in this moment!

Ahead was a tapestry of the Tree of Life, upon which the Fourth and Sixth Prima Materia shimmered.

Everything is ready; it's time for the actual advancement ceremony!

Mephistopheles smiled, then raised his hand, chanting his own incantation like a devout believer.

"In the name of Sandalphon, may the power of the earth protect this land; in the mercy of Sachiel, may the light of Jupiter fill this place."

The power of the Prima Materia flowed out at this moment, filling the Temple!

Chapter 214 Death and Rebirth

The power of the Prima Materia flowed out, converging into a presence that emitted a faint light and shadow. Within the light and shadow, the light of Jupiter flowed, and the power of the four elements moved, with the strongest being wind and earth.

Voices emanated from within the light and shadow, reaching Mephistopheles's ears.

"You are Osiris, torn apart by the beauty of Tiphrath, and now you must be reunited as a god to cross the Abyss!"

As the voice echoed in his mind, Mephistopheles lay flat before the altar. A black cloth appeared and, under the control of light and shadow, fell upon Mephistopheles.

Then, more words emanated from the light and shadow, echoing throughout the Temple.

"My soul traversed Duat, and on the banks of the River Styx, I met Osiris once more. May your flail shatter fear, and your hook gather the fragments of my spirit!"

This passage, originating from the Book of the Dead, guides the power of death and represents the sacrifice of Osiris.

Similarly, the power of death began to permeate Mephistopheles's body, threatening to dismember him and drag him into hell!

However, Osiris not only experienced death, but also resurrection!

As time slowly passed, not too long and not too short, about twenty minutes, the light and shadow manipulated Mephistopheles's black cloth to lift it off.

Mephistopheles, holding the Djed Pillar, rose and proclaimed, "I have risen like Osiris, and in Chesed I have found eternal order!"

However, this was only the beginning, not the end. As the resurrection ritual of Osiris was completed, the blue candles spontaneously combusted, the Jupiter symbol floated up and landed on Mephistopheles's forehead, and the light and shadow continued to chant the incantation.

"Sachiel (Guardian Angel of Prima Materia), Father of Mercy, Wings of Justice! Open the gate of Daleth (Hebrew letter?, corresponding to Mercy), and lead this Spirit to the Throne of Chesed (Mercy)!"

As the incantation was chanted, Mephistopheles raised the Holy Grail and drank the red liquid inside. Although it was just red wine, at this moment it represented the blood of Osiris.

As the mentor, Guangying produced a dagger and slashed at the air. At that moment, the air was torn apart, Mephistopheles felt that some of the old limitations on his body had finally been broken.

It's as if some shackles have been removed, and a person's spirituality begins to rise.

"The light of Jupiter, abundant and boundless; the oath of Tzadkiel, forgives your sins. From this day forth you are an instrument of mercy, walking in divine forgiveness!"

The master continued chanting, and Mephistopheles listened intently. With the Eye of Osiris in his left hand and the Jupiter symbol pressed against his right, he opened his mouth and swore. "By the eternity of Osiris, I establish the mercy of Tzadkiel. Severity and love are both my ways!"

Blue ink rose, merging with magic and incorporating the power of the Prima Materia, flowing into Mephistopheles's palm and beginning to draw special runes—Daleth's Hebrew alphabet? and Egypt Ankh symbols?

The former represents mercy and the Prima Materia, while the latter represents life and eternity. In fact, he had come into contact with this symbol before he transmigrated to the world of A Certain Magical Index, after all, he was a Yu-Gi-Oh! player, and this was the Monster Resurrection symbol from Yu-Gi-Oh!.

At that moment, the mentor's voice rang out for the last time, and then he himself slowly disappeared.

"Now you are 7=4, Chesed's servant, and Jupiter and the Lord of the Underworld bear witness to this covenant!"

Mephistopheles did not leave. He first respectfully offered incense to Sachiel and Osiris —frankincense and myrrh—and then began to dissipate the elemental forces here.

Mephistopheles finally breathed a sigh of relief, sensing the power within him, and a slight smile appeared on his face.

At this moment, he truly stepped into the realm of 7=4, reaching the highest level that humanity could achieve before entering the realm of gods.

Mephistopheles glanced around at the Temple he had originally built, a place with only planetary-level defenses, smiled, and with a snap of his fingers, the entire Temple's structure began to crumble!

Then, the disintegrated materials spontaneously converged, integrated, and re-overlaid, forming a completely new architecture.

It didn't take long; looking at the Temple, which had been completely transformed in just a short while, Mephistopheles whistled as he walked out of the room.

Today, the Temple's defensive capabilities have truly reached world-class standards!

That represents the world of the boundless universe!

"You succeeded." Medea looked at Mephistopheles as he walked out, smiling at him with a relaxed tone.

Mephistopheles nodded slightly. "Yes, it's a success. I can now truly master the Infinite power, but I myself am not yet able to reach that level."

As he spoke, he looked at his hands. Although they looked no different from before, if one observed his astral body, they would find that they were completely different, filled with mysterious power.

"In some ways, I'm practically immortal now..." Mephistopheles muttered.

Medea showed a hint of surprise, then suddenly realized. "Osiris's death and rebirth allow your life to cycle endlessly, thus granting you a different kind of immortality?"

"That's right. Death and rebirth under the eternal order. Conceptually speaking, as long as I am not truly killed, I will continue to exist, constantly repeating my own death and rebirth, until I cross the Abyss and truly erase the existence of death."

As Mephistopheles spoke, a faint light flickered in his eyes as he looked at Medea, at her physical body. Only then did he notice the faint crimson light enveloping her.

Moreover, the lights kept converging, seemingly trying to merge and separate, transforming into five different elements.

That is earth, wind, water, fire, and Ether.

The Blood Mother represents the world where 8 equals 3, yet also the world where 1 equals 10, representing the material world.

"When will you summon Artemis?" Medea asked, but Mephistopheles did not answer. Instead, he walked up to her and gently hugged her.

Feeling the warmth of that embrace, Medea was stunned for a moment, then smiled and hugged Mephistopheles back, allowing them to fit together more closely.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly.

"It's nothing, I just suddenly wanted to hug you." Mephistopheles smiled, his laughter low. As he spoke, he gently lowered his head and kissed the witch's forehead, causing the battle-hardened witch to show a shy expression like that of a little girl.

"How did this happen so suddenly...? We're in the corridor!" Medea whispered.

Mephistopheles chuckled softly. "Everyone knows about our relationship. Besides, when did you become so easily embarrassed?"

"Get lost!" Medea released her grip and punched Mephistopheles in the chest, but he held her even tighter, making it impossible for her to escape.

Mephistopheles slowly said, "Wait two days. The power of the Blood Mother within you needs a little adjustment. After all, you haven't completed your advancement. In the next two days, I will guide you as your mentor to help you complete the most basic advancements."

Medea was stunned, then looked up at Mephistopheles: "How many advancements?!"

She thought she had misheard; it wasn't just advancing one level, but several?!

"Your level and knowledge are all sufficient, but the ceremony has not yet taken place. Therefore, we will divide the time into several days and advance to different levels according to different days. Although you may not be able to reach a very high level, you can first raise yourself to the level of 4=7. I think that should be fine."

"Next, continue learning, and you'll be able to break through and reach level 5=6. At that point, with your skill level..." Mephistopheles pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly, "There shouldn't be many in this world who can defeat you."

Medea listened to Mephistopheles's arrangement, gently tiptoed, kissed Mephistopheles on the cheek, and whispered, "Alright, I'll do whatever you say."

"Snap!"

A sharp crack caught Romani's attention. He looked in the direction the sound came from and saw that the pencil that had been in Olga Marie's hand had been broken. And judging from the look of it, it had been broken with one hand.

Romani picked up the pencil in front of him, then grabbed one in each hand and twisted it forcefully, a puzzled look on his face.

This pencil is quite sturdy; it won't break so easily...

What's wrong with Marie?

He cautiously glanced at the screen in front of Olga Marie, only to see Mephistopheles and Medea embracing and kissing.

Seeing this, Romani almost burst out laughing, only to be met with Olga Marie's murderous gaze.

He immediately turned around and shouted, "Leonardo da Vinci! I'm telling you..."

No one answered, because Leonardo da Vinci wasn't there at all, which made the air even more silent and made Romani increasingly embarrassed.

He paused for a moment, then turned to Olga Marie and smiled, "Director, I have some things to take care of, and I'm quite busy, so I won't bother you any longer!"

After saying that, he walked towards the door as if it were nothing, and the moment he stepped out, he sprinted towards his usual workplace.

"What's going on?" Mash Kyrielight asked, puzzled, after seeing the scene from a short distance away.