"Now, let us examine the results of our research."
Even though this entire endeavor was intended as a reward for Diablo,
creating nearly one thousand bodies was no trivial matter.
Atem had initially considered crafting them as magisteel dolls similar to Beretta—
and then copying the template with the assistance of Solarys, Sovereign of Wisdom.
But that lacked flair.
More importantly, Atem did not intend to lower the standards of his vision.
Instead of building one thousand bodies individually…
He created a workshop capable of mass-producing them.
Atem designed a transparent tempered-glass cylinder:
one meter wide, three meters tall.
He named it:
⚜ The Growth Capsule.
Its purpose was exactly as the name implied—
to grow monsters, vessels, and artificial lifeforms.
He filled it with the highly concentrated magicule water stored in his Special Dimension, harvested from the underground lake within the Sealed Cave.
This water—rich with pure, dense primordial magicules—
he named:
Magiwater.
It had countless uses:
fortifying Eterna potions, restoring mana in humans, amplifying healing functions.
The capsule included a pipe to inject additional magicules.
Increasing magicule density within the magiwater amplified the probability of spawning a monster.
If the concentration dipped below threshold, the capsule refilled automatically.
Atem prepared one thousand growth capsules.
Only after assembling the very last one did he pause to reflect.
Perhaps building a thousand dolls by hand would have been simpler…
He dismissed the thought immediately.
"It matters not," Atem said, a faint smile curving his lips.
"A project worthy of the Pharaoh must be grand."
The vast hall was now filled with towering Growth Capsules—
an awe-inspiring sight.
But after their recent discoveries, Atem and his team had learned a critical truth:
Monsters would not spawn within a capsule unless certain conditions were met.
Simply pouring magicules into water was not enough.
Yet if the correct ingredients were combined…
miraculous results occurred.
For example:
Place a snake inside the capsule.
The dense magicules would kill it—
but not truly.
Its flesh would merge with the magiwater,
reconstituting as a Tempest Serpent—
an A- rank monster.
This demonstrated the shocking potential of the Growth Capsules.
Monsters produced inside them were exponentially stronger than natural-born variants
due to the stable, magicule-rich incubation environment.
However…
Not every creature survived the process.
Occasionally, bodies broke down upon birth and perished.
Survival was partly a matter of luck.
Still, Atem planned to use the capsules to forge the thousand bodies he required.
"Well then," Atem asked, "how is the progress?"
Ramiris beamed.
"Perfect! I've been doing tons of research!"
Atem nodded—
Then froze.
"…What is that?"
Inside the capsules drifted humanoid dolls—
fully built, visibly intricate.
His original plan was simpler:
build a magisteel skeleton, submerge it, and allow magicules to crystalize upon it.
That would produce a basic bone golem—
perfect for demon possession.
They didn't require aesthetics.
Demons would modify their own vessels later.
But what floated now…
was far beyond that.
Each body had a meticulously constructed torso.
And embedded within the chest—
A glowing, pulsing crystalline organ:
The Spirit Magic Core.
Atem's eyes sharpened.
"This is…"
Ramiris grinned.
"I made them! If they have strong cores, their strength skyrockets!"
Creating one Spirit Magic Core was already
difficult.
But Ramiris—stubborn and unyielding—
had crafted one thousand.
Without shortcuts.
Without compromise.
That explained her desperate need for manpower.
The bodies even possessed Emulated Souls, derived from Sarion's homunculus technology.
Beretta could possess his body effortlessly,
but Treyni's sisters would likely struggle without this addition.
So Ramiris made the correct decision.
"Ramiris-sama's designs were incredible," Vesta said weakly.
"It was impossible not to offer assistance once I saw her intent…"
No wonder he refused to sleep.
The amount of data was overwhelming—
enough to keep any researcher intoxicated.
The Spirit Magic Cores were fist-sized masterpieces.
Combined with Atem's reinforced skeletons,
the bodies had evolved drastically from his initial blueprint.
Magicules wrapped the metallic bones,
forming muscle layer by layer.
This was the birth of monsters—
observed in real time.
Atem now understood Vesta's fanatic exhaustion.
"How about it?" Ramiris bragged.
"Super fascinating, right?!"
"GAHAHAHA!" Veldora bellowed.
"Just look at Atem's face—this alone makes it worthwhile!"
Ramiris puffed out her chest proudly.
Atem nodded slowly, impressed.
"Yes. This exceeds expectations… far more than I anticipated."
Despite her ditzy appearance, Ramiris was brilliant—
a master of spirit engineering
and now a devoted student of magic science.
Her contributions were extraordinary.
"These bodies…" Atem murmured.
"…Ramiris, you crafted each by hand?"
"Yes! Super tiring! They aren't ball-joint dolls like Beretta though. Just simple humanoid skeletons. But with the Spirit Magic Cores, they'll absorb far more magicules in the capsules!"
Atem agreed.
The vessels suspended in magiwater were astonishing.
Based on their magicule density and structural quality—
Their power would exceed A- rank.
And there were one thousand of them.
All because of:
✔ Spirit Magic Cores
✔ Emulated Souls
✔ Atem's reinforced skeletons
✔ Magiwater incubation
✔ High-density magicule infusion
Atem felt genuine admiration rise within him.
"A magnificent achievement," he declared softly.
"One worthy of Eterna."
For a moment, even the King of Games allowed himself
to be impressed.
A few days had passed since silence reclaimed Eterna. The laboratory's halls pulsed with arcane light, and the air was thick with anticipation. Though several tasks awaited completion, Atem descended once more into the depths—toward the forging chamber, toward creation, toward the hundred bodies that would soon house new souls.
He stepped into the research facility, his presence alone enough to bring order to the bustling space. Yet what he found was—of course—chaos.
Ramiris and Veldora were at it again.
"Listen, mentor!! If I pour your magicules directly into the capsule, the growth will accelerate tenfold!" Ramiris insisted.
"And what if something explodes?! Do you expect me to take responsibility for that!?" Veldora protested, wings flaring dramatically.
Atem paused, unseen for the moment. He folded his arms, suppressing a sigh.
Even as Pharaoh, even as the King of Games… some things simply never changed.
Ramiris and Veldora getting into trouble was as inevitable as sunrise.
Still invisible, he listened.
"It's okay! There are a ton of bodies here anyway! Besides, I'll support your 'special request' to Atem!" Ramiris said, wagging her eyebrows mischievously.
"…You better." Veldora grumbled, pretending not to be already convinced.
Atem raised a brow.
A special request? From Veldora?
He stepped silently closer. His training as a spirit and duelist lent itself well to stealth—Veldora didn't sense him at all.
Veldora finally caved, huffing with false reluctance.
"Fine. But only because you begged!"
Ramiris swept her arms up victoriously. "YESSS!! Now watch closely!"
Veldora extended his palm toward the nearest growth capsule.
"HYAAAH!"
A torrent of dense, draconic magicules surged forth—so concentrated that the room trembled as if struck by a divine hammer. Magicules spiraled violently inside the capsule like a storm made flesh.
Atem's eyes narrowed.
This… had the potential to vaporize the entire facility.
He remained still, assessing.
The magisteel skeleton inside began absorbing Veldora's essence, the metal shifting, warping—evolving.
Ramiris blinked. "U-Um? This is… weird…"
Atem remained silent, but his anticipation rose.
Solarys, Sovereign of Wisdom, spoke within his mind—calm, absolute, and inexorable.
«Conclusion: The magicule wavelength unique to the entity 'Veldora' has induced structural evolution. Resulting substance classification: adamantite derivative. Proposed designation: dragotite.»
Atem's eyes sharpened.
Dragotite.
A newborn metal—powerful, vibrant, alive.
Ramiris pumped her fists. "See!? Success! Wait—huh!?"
A crack splintered across the capsule.
Veldora flinched. "W-Wait! Why is this happening!?"
Ramiris shrieked, "I SAID STOP—STOOOP!!"
Atem sighed and finally revealed himself.
"What," he said with commanding calm, "are you two doing?"
Both froze instantly.
"M-Mentor—"
"A-Atem—"
Ramiris wilted.
Veldora shrank.
Atem stepped forward and stabilized the capsule with a single gesture, golden magic weaving into the cracks like divine thread. Within seconds, the vessel was whole again.
"I trust you understand," Atem said, voice cool yet resonant, "that recklessness in this chamber endangers not just yourselves—but all who depend on these creations."
"Y-Yes, Pharaoh Atem…" Ramiris whispered.
Veldora bowed his head.
Atem softened his tone only slightly. "Come. We will discuss this over coffee."
Treyni had prepared drinks and cakes ahead of time, and soon Atem, Ramiris, Veldora, Vesta, and Treyni gathered around the small table.
Ramiris sulked but perked up the moment cake appeared.
"Now," Atem began, turning his piercing gaze upon Ramiris, "explain why you rushed the development of these bodies."
Ramiris squirmed.
Treyni bowed frantically. "P-Please, Atem-sama—Ramiris-sama's intentions were pure! She wished only to help my sisters and the treants. She meant no disrespect!"
Atem raised a hand gently. "Treyni. I am not reprimanding her. I simply want her reasons."
"O-Oh." Treyni stepped back, cheeks pink.
Ramiris fiddled with her fingers. "Well… those kids admire me a lot, you know? The dryads and treants. They help us every day but can't move freely like normal people. I just… wanted to give them bodies sooner. So they'd be happy. So they'd be proud. So we'd all have more help."
Her voice dimmed.
"I guess… I got carried away."
Atem leaned back slightly, his expression thoughtful but still bearing the undeniable weight of a ruler.
"I understand your intentions," he said. "The labyrinth demands constant supervision. Overworking those who serve us is unacceptable."
Treyni's eyes softened. Ramiris's wings perked up.
Atem continued, "For that reason, I approve creating the bodies for the dryads first. Diablo will return soon, and if we require more vessels later, we will create them. No shortcuts."
Ramiris gasped. "R-Really!?"
"Of course."
She flew excitedly around him. "THANK YOU, ATEM!"
Atem allowed a small, proud smile.
Treyni bowed deeply. "Atem-sama… you honor us."
He nodded.
Then he took a breath.
"And another matter—"
The room held its breath.
"We will also craft specialized dryas-doll bodies for your sisters, Treyni—and all dryads who wish to evolve."
Treyni nearly collapsed. "I–is such generosity truly allowed?"
Ramiris stared with wide eyes. "Are you serious!? That's… that's HUGE!"
Atem inclined his head. "They have earned it. And it is beneficial for Eterna."
Treyni's tears glimmered. "We are eternally grateful…"
Ramiris puffed her cheeks. "H-Hey! Why are you so polite to Treyni-chan, but not to me!?"
Atem, unsurprisingly, ignored that.
The Pharaoh's decree brought order.
The experiment birthed a new divine metal.
And the forge of Eterna prepared for the next era.
The age of Dragotite had begun.