Xu Zhi had thought it through thoroughly. If a living ship could be created, then a synthetic floating island capable of flight should also be possible.
If that can be done, I'll never have to worry about the Land of the Gods again… Achilles, you can wait.
Xu Zhi grinned to himself.
This plan had to move forward—no matter what.
If it worked, it would mark yet another turning point in the history of evolution.
As for the time, effort, and resources needed from those hundred players?
That wasn't his concern.
They're the ones who'll be exhausted anyway.
He jotted it down in his mental agenda.
Xu Zhi flipped through the rest of the proposals. Most were impressive—many with the potential to create species of unimaginable power.
Compared to the last batch, when they'd been thrown into the sandbox with barely any prep time, these new submissions were of much higher quality.
Suddenly, the Hive Mind's cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
"If this project succeeds, then as the Tyranis Queen, you should wholly devote yourself to the evolution of extraordinary biological lifeforms."
"Please," Xu Zhi chuckled, "call me the Tyranis King."
He gestured casually. "These fifty papers are good enough. Make the announcement: the third beta test launches at 6:00 AM tomorrow. Same time as before."
"Understood."
With that settled, Xu Zhi glanced toward the larger sandbox simulation.
Another day had passed—equivalent to over a hundred years in the Magic World. That guy had been inside for two days now. By the current timeline, their transmigrator—the so-called Emperor of Alchemy—had passed his two-hundredth birthday.
Xu Zhi narrowed his eyes.
How will he act in his twilight years?
Historically, the founders of every major dynasty went out with a bang.
Gilgamesh had once raised his sword against God.
The Three Witches had prayed for an audience with the divine before their deaths.
Is this great emperor going to get desperate and try to mess with me too?
Xu Zhi sighed, rubbing his temples.
He held deep admiration for each of these era-defining figures, but they all tended to get… impulsive at the end. It was always during their final years that they became the most unpredictable.
He'd just finished dealing with Akina's Speedster and confirmed that guy wasn't stirring up trouble.
And now?
More drama.
Even the natives of this world were terrifyingly competent—who knew what a transmigrator was capable of?
But after a few moments of observation, Xu Zhi couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Grantham doesn't even have the time to stir up trouble.
Right now, he was in serious danger.
Bro, you had such a tragic start—your Slime species were enslaved and sold like X-rated goods. After ninety years of struggle, you finally rose up, beat Medusa, and lived your best life as the great emperor. But now? You've grown old, and every major power in the world wants you dead!
Magic World — Kingdom of Babylon, Year 523
The Emperor of Alchemy was now 221 years old.
This invincible ruler who had unified the Three Great Kingdoms often stood atop the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, surveying the lands beneath him. Today, his sharp gaze was clouded with unease.
It's taking too long... I've logged out several times, and they still haven't found a solution.
Though the Emperor still retained his youthful appearance—handsome, chiseled, almost divine—there was no denying that his once-overwhelming aura had begun to wane.
The pressure that once made the entire world bow was fading.
The Emperor of Alchemy's lifespan may be nearing its end…
So speculated a Fifth Level Wizard.
The news spread like wildfire through the Magic Academies, Mage Clans, and Alchemy Labs across the Three Kingdoms.
"He's reigned for 131 years, opened the Gates of Truth, created two Alchemical Wonders of the World, and ushered in the Golden Age of Alchemy. But now? He's 221. The Three Witches barely made it to 240..."
"Even though he defeated Medusa, he's still only Level Six. He might not even live to 250."
"No matter how great, every monarch must one day return to dust—Gilgamesh, the Three Witches, and now… the Emperor of Alchemy."
Grief swept across the continent.
But in the shadows, dormant forces began to stir.
The evil Rose Sect, once defeated and driven underground, was on the move again.
The Emperor's overwhelming might had kept even his enemies in check—but now? Now they smelled blood.
Rose Kingdom — Mountain Fortress
Although the orthodox witches had taken over the Rose Kingdom and brought it under rule similar to Babylon's, traces of the old sect still lingered in the shadows.
In a dark cellar the color of dried blood, a group of witches gathered.
"The Emperor may be terrifying—comparable to a peak Level Seven Epic—but he's still only a Level Six Wizard," one murmured. "Medusa, our true Empress, was a real Level Seven. She may be sealed, but she's still in her prime."
"We've reached the Legendary Sixth Level. If we attack Gorgon Island from both sides, we might unseal her."
These were the Rose Saviors—remnants of the ancient evil witches.
Only eight remained, but each was a wanted criminal, Level Five and above. Among them were defectors from prestigious Magic Academies—former geniuses who had chosen rebellion over loyalty.
They split into four pairs, dressed in rose-stitched concealing robes and scarlet witch hats. On their chests, their Academy crests were crossed out—a mark of betrayal.
They roamed the coastlines, assassinating ministers and infiltrating academies in search of information on the Gorgon Seal.
BOOM!
That night, a massive explosion rocked the Royal Rose Academy's Library of Truth. Pillars of light pierced the sky as a gray film blanketed the moon.
"Enemy attack!"
Panic erupted as flames engulfed the campus.
"Who dares invade our Academy?! I, Morseus, shall meet you with my Spear of Fire!"
A man in dark blue robes stepped forward, flames coiling around him like serpents.
His eyes locked onto one of the intruders—a young woman in a black robe and rose-stitched hat.
"Charlotte. My genius apprentice. You've finally returned."
Charlotte lowered her eyes, then looked up at her former mentor.
"Instructor… Once, they called you the Blazing Gale. But you've grown weak. You're no match for me now. Leave, before I kill you."
BOOM!
A wave of flame exploded from Morseus, silencing her.
Charlotte scowled, countering with a surge of power.
"Thirty Days of Darkness! You've actually completed that taboo spell!" Morseus roared.
Elsewhere…
The moonlight shimmered eerily.
Ermin sat at her window, staring at the sky. Her black spellbook snapped shut as she jumped to her feet.
"That's… the Eye of Darkness!"
"Charlotte Shylock… The one who created Ocular Magic. She's returned."
Her heart trembled as old memories resurfaced—of her time as a student alongside Charlotte, the prodigy, and Lucy, the gentle healer.
"That flame… Instructor Morseus must be fighting her…"
Ermin rushed to the library—and found her mentor bleeding on the floor.
The wounds were unmistakable.
"Charlotte... She's grown this strong?"
Morseus gritted his teeth, voice fading.
"She's stolen information on Gorgon Island. She plans to unseal Medusa… to kill Grantham and plunge this world into chaos."
He looked into Ermin's tearful eyes—his least gifted student, yet the most determined.
"Go. Take what you need. Protect our emperor. Stop your best friend… my fallen apprentice."
Academy Plaza
The Director activated the Emergency Retrieval Plan for the Book of Seals.
Three elite teams were dispatched, each led by a special instructor, to chase down Charlotte.
Half a Day Later — A Rushing Waterfall
Charlotte stood tall, robes billowing in the wind as she faced her pursuers.
She smirked when she saw who led them.
"Ermin. You're too late."
"Even if the Emperor is wise and his Golden Age has brought prosperity… we must kill him."
Meanwhile — The Nephthys Beastmen Kingdom
Emery, King of the Harpies, sat silently atop a tower overlooking the capital.
"The Rose Saviors again…"
His voice was grim.
"We must act. We cannot let them succeed in unsealing the Empress of Death…"
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Read advanced chapters: patre on/Siuteo