I Refused To Be Reincarnated

"The decision to transmute my soul into my grimoire and wait for that elf to return. I added a layer of protection by trapping the room in case anyone discovered it before him. But man, I never thought someone without affinity would find it first."

He gazed at her enthusiastic smile and the surprise flashing in her eyes as she clapped her hands in joy.

However, he was anything but joyous at her revelation.

Ironically, she filled the description of the individual Elysia had been searching for.

'It's more than a coincidence. Selene knew about her seven thousand years ago, and Ari told her about him, meaning they had been waiting for each other.'

A deep furrow creased his brows as the symbols on the ground cast dancing shadows on his somber face.

'Four archmages working together? I can't let her join them, or they'll destroy the world!'

His face distorted into a terrified grimace as he imagined them fighting against Vivian, the last archmage, and the magus in a calamitous landscape filled with ash, ruins, and death.

Fortunately, Elena's voice, a soft whisper, cut through his raging mind and shattered the dreary image he had painted for the future.

"I know it's a lot to take in, but are you ok? Did I forget anything? Oh! Using the ritual close to my grimoire awakened me. I just waited for you to be alone to manifest."

He saw the genuine concern in her eyes, and with a sharp exhale, he forced his doubts to the back of his mind.

Jaws bulging, and through gritted teeth, he told her what he knew about Selene, his experiences, and the consequences of joining him.

Minutes melded into hours as Elena interrupted him to ask questions until he concluded.

"Yes, Selene is powerful, but he allied with the wrong individuals. He became a menace for everyone with his flying bastion. So, please don't join him."

He bit his lips, worry gnawing at his soul.

Her choice held too much weight and could shatter his estimations. After all, she would transmute all the materials the trio needed for their second bastion and hasten the construction process. With her, forget about a year or two. They'll have it in a month.

His breath caught in his throat as he noticed her hesitation through her blue eyes and how they slipped to the sides.

'I need to offer her an alternative, or my words won't hold any weight.'

He tucked his fingers around his chin.

Who was he trying to fool? Elena was kind, but her story portrayed her with utmost clarity. Anything outside of her objectives didn't matter to her. Even when she recounted the terrible war she had witnessed and the commoners' lamentations, she never spoke about helping them...

'Wait. She wants someone who'll flip the board and shine warm lights on the world. I know someone who fits the description!'

His trembling fists clenched as he thought about the person he trusted the most.

Without hesitations, he declared, voice firm and eyes locked on hers.

"I'll show you my brother. He isn't strong enough to achieve your dream right now but trust me, his potential is the highest you've ever seen. He can break the bottleneck plaguing all archmages and soar to reach the eighth tier."

He outstretched his hand, his lips curling into a broad grin.

"Give him a chance. You won't lose anything by assessing him, anyway."

He watched as Elena massaged her temples and heard the rhythmic noise of her heel meeting the table.

An awkward silence descended on the room as their eyes locked for a few seconds.

Then, she sighed and shook her head.

"I'll meet him."

Despite the positive answer, he knew she held no hope in Julius.

However, he smirked and clenched his fists in victory. If anyone could boast about having the potential to become the best after him, it was the boy and no one else.

"You're in for a big surprise."

Only silence met his confident declaration. Instead of minding it, he placed the Manacore Heartgem in the ritual star.

"We'll go in a while. I need to complete this first."

"You realise you're trying to transmute a tier-nine item?"

She stepped before him, her brows twitching at the absurd idea.

"Do you think a mere stone can fuel the transformation? You'll only ruin it."

He paled at her words, the gem almost slipping from his fingers. They made too much sense for him to dismiss them. Yet, they would mean he had convinced the werewolves and vampires for nothing.

'The only one who benefited is the nightmarish bastard!'

The idea rumbled in his mind, causing his wooden hands to crack in suppressed anger.

Yet, Elena's soft voice brightened his darkening mood.

"I'll provide the remaining energy. But I'll attach a condition."

She pointed her fingers at his body and smiled.

"I like that puppet. It just needs a few modifications to fit my appearance."

He rolled his eyes at the demand and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'll need it next year. If you can wait and decide to join us, I'll give it to you."

Why would he arm potential enemies with his masterpiece, no less? Anyway, he needed a body for the inter-academy tournament, and this one had too much sentimental value as his first mythical creation.

Though his soul tightened in reluctance, he wouldn't mind giving it away next year if it helped him get a proper body and served an ally.

"Mhh. Place the core for now. We'll discuss the details later."

She shrugged, mana dancing around her slender fingers as an influx of irresistible interest overwhelmed her.

Following her words with a nod of gratitude, he placed the gem on the densely packed engravings.

The soft hum of mana resounded before a terrible cacophony of clashing power reverberated in his eardrums.

A blinding light forced him to shield his eyes for a tense minute as a flicker of doubt nestled in his soul.

Why was the reaction so different from last time? What if the process failed? Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

Amidst the chaotic room, he pinched the bridge of his nose, his lips quivering in anxiousness as the light's intensity diminished gradually.

And there he saw it: the mineral began its transformation!

A pulse of excitement coursed through him, banishing the doubts and sending tremors jolting his frame as he observed the process with undivided attention.

Slowly, the smooth surface turned to a fleshy texture, and the once colorful lights deepened to a deep scarlet.

A few minutes later, delight painted his face red as he heard faint beatings from the forming heart.

"That's crazy."

Elena muttered, her eyes widening with each passing second.

The ritual gulped her mana like an insatiable beast. Yet, she couldn't stop.

She hadn't admitted it, but witnessing the first Manacor Heartgem's transformation into an actual heart through the ritual she spent centuries thinking of and developing? She would miss it for nothing in the world.

As excited as Adam, she increased her mana output as the solar stone shattered into glinting dust particles.@@novelbin@@

Despite the strain, her eyes sparkled as the gem reached its transformation's last stage.

Fortunately, the solar stone had helped, and she was sure they'd succeed!